It’s finally June and time to get our hands on the new products in the 2017-2018 annual catalog (US/CA). I’m a big fan of anything cute, so the Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper (144163) is high on my list.

Stampin’ Up! makes my life easier by offering product suites since they allow me to coordinate my projects quickly. The Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper is part of the Pick a Pattern Product Suite. #gofigure

The first order of business was to cut out as many of the cute little forest friends that I could before my favorite television show ended. As I cut, I was creating a pile of animals. It wasn’t long before I knew I wanted these creatures to be the focal point of the card.

Next I began embossing some sentiments with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109132) on Basic Black Cardstock (121045). Because the animals are so small, I decided to use the Tabs for Everything Stamp Set (143907). It couldn’t have been a better fit as “Happy life” is certainly a motto for many campers.

In order to allow the background to look like a soft sky, I used Watercolor Paper (122959), Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill (101041), and an Aqua Painter (103954) to quickly brush a watercolor sky. Once dry, I adhered the cuties and added a layer of Sahara Sand Cardstock (121043) as well as a piece of patterned paper from Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper.

My second card uses the moose cut out from the Pick a Pattern Designer Series Paper as well as the sentiment from the Pieces & Patterns Stamp Set (143843). With the help of the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (145372) I was able to add several layers to create a simple and fun card. These Framelits are a favorite of mine so I have plenty of extras cut out; that way I can grab them whenever I am working on a project.

How cute is the little raccoon in the Adirondack chair? That cute little chair was die cut using the Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies (143751). It’s the perfect size for our little pals.

With plenty of creatures to spare, I’ll be sure to whip up some more cards soon.

Thanks so much for dropping by!

Cathy Caines
2017 Stampin’ Up! Artisan Design Team

Hello, my friends, and welcome! I’m Canadian Stampin’ Up! demonstrator and Artisan Design Team member, Allison Okamitsu. It’s a thrilling experience to be a guest blogger for Stampin’ Up! and I’m very excited to share my deep love for the new kid on the color block, Lemon Lime Twist. This bright, bold, and beautiful color is new to the Stampin’ Up! family, and I’m here to show you how this electric green fits in perfectly with the existing family of colors.

I’ve had a great time experimenting and have come up with three fun color combos to share with you.

This first combination is bright, flirty, and fun. Lemon Lime Twist, Flirty Flamingo, Tempting Turquoise, and Smoky Slate team up to create a super-fab card.

I used the Bike Ride Stamp Set (143716) and Lift Me Up Stamp Set (142893) to make an uplifting card for a long-distance friend. The bright color combo will put a smile on the face of anyone lucky enough to receive it. What better way to show your out-of-town bestie that you’re thinking of them?

Next up, I reached for a selection of Brights colors to complement Lemon Lime Twist.

Real Red, Tangerine Tango, and Pacific Point look even more bold and brilliant than usual next to Lemon Lime Twist.

This card features a Lemon Lime Twist dinosaur from the Pieces & Patterns Stamp Set (143840) and bold vertical stripes from the Banners for You Stamp Set (141710). It’ll be a hit with my nephews, for sure!

Last but certainly not least is what I think is my favorite color combination of all.

It’s rare for me to use so many colors on one project, but somehow this combination just works without looking overdone.

Because Stampin’ Up! has such a large selection of colors, it’s easy to create a card with a range of blues and greens, and it’s the perfect way to showcase the Feather Together Stamp Set (141597). I love that Lemon Lime Twist can go from loud and electric (see the previous card) to beautifully bold on this card. It just depends on what other colors it’s partnered with.

Thank you so much for visiting today. I hope I’ve inspired you to embrace the Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin’ Pad (14486) and Lemon Lime Twist Cardstock (144245) and come up with your own innovative color combinations. This color has become a fast favorite of mine, and one you’ll be seeing a lot of in my upcoming projects.

Allison Okamitsu
2017 Artisan Design Team

The long days of summer are here, and for some of us that can only mean one thing: more hours to spend crafting! Paper Pumpkin can go anywhere you do, so whether you’re on your way to the beach (or heading to your lounge chair in the backyard!) be sure to bring this kit with you. You’ll feel refreshed just looking at the designed paper with its watermelons, pineapples, lemons, and limes; then there’s the fun of putting together our yummy, summer-themed projects! Check out the how-to’s below.

Each One in a Melon kit comes with 6 printed card bases, 4 printed bags, 6 white envelopes, 2 sheets watercolor die-cut pieces, 2 sheets white die-cut pieces, 1 sheet laser-cut leaf stickers, 4 sheets printed cotton paper, 4 yds. pink baker’s twine, 4 green mini clothespins, 100 dimensionals, and 100 adhesive dots.

We’re pretty sure this kit will be the pine-apple of your eye (wink, wink) once you start playing with all of the elements inside! And the creative possibilities are endless. Check out the projects above for some sweet alternate ideas—like our stamped fruit slices tied to Crumb Cake envelopes and secured with White Baker’s Twine. Wouldn’t they make great gift card enclosures?

You could also fussy cut a few pineapple images from the designed paper and pop them up with dimensionals on one of the kit’s die-cut banners. For a perfect finishing touch, embellish with a pink baker’s twine bow.

Or make the Hooray card using Pool Party Cardstock and some of the fun die- and laser-cut pieces included with this month’s kit. With the sunny yellow banner as a focal point, it’s the perfect summer birthday card.

And don’t forget to check our Pinterest page for more fun ideas!

I can’t get over how quickly the time has come for another annual catalog launch. The new catalog always brings so much excitement to the stamping community with its fresh new In Colors, stamp images, and accessories.

Each year I love to put together a collection of cards that showcases the new In Colors along with other coordinating products. I chose the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack (item 144131) along with the Dare to Dream Host Stamp Set (item 143769) to create a fun set of cards.

This year’s Host stamp sets are fantastic, but the Dare to Dream Stamp Set stood out for me because of the beautiful greetings and fonts. I love when I can create my own greeting from a collection of words in a set. The Dare to Dream Stamp Set gives you this opportunity and so much more.

Keeping a monochromatic theme made these cards quick and easy to duplicate. While I kept the added accessories simple, they added just enough “WOW” to the card.

Each card starts with a Whisper White Thick Cardstock (item 140272) base (4-1/4″ x 11″). Then I added two layers from the Fresh Floral Designer Series Paper Stack measuring 3-1/2″ x 5″ and 3-1/8″ x 4-3/4″.

The adventure image was stamped on each of the five new 2017–2019 In Color Cardstock (item 144247) pieces measuring 1″ x 4-1/4″. I added a 1″ x 4-1/4″ strip under the greeting using the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack.

I wanted to break up some of the patterns from the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper so the greeting would remain the focal point. To do this, I added a piece of Whisper White Cardstock (item 100730) and stamped the fun floral spray image from the Dare to Dream Stamp Set using each of the five new In Colors.

Lastly, I added a few new embellishments to each of the cards such as the 1/2″ Finely Woven Ribbon in Berry Burst (144133), Fresh Fig (item 144132), and Lemon Lime Twist (item 144135). I also added the new Glitter Enamel Dots (item 144200). The Glitter Enamel Dots are unique because the many ombre shades coordinate with the new In Colors.

I hope this inspires you to create a collection of cards using the new 2017–2019 In Colors products. The possibilities are endless with these fun new products!

Kimberly Van Diepen
Artisan Design Team 2017

Hello, friends! I’m thrilled to be writing for the Stampin’ Up! blog this week. I’ve been playing with some of my new favorites from the 2017–2018 annual catalog (US/CA) and I’m bursting at the seams with my excitement over these new products!

If you’ve been stamping for a long time, you may have been as thrilled as I was to find that Glossy White Cardstock (item 144240) has made its triumphant return! The glossy surface is non-porous, which lends itself to some amazing techniques with ink.

One of my favorite tricks with Glossy White Cardstock is to use alcohol to blend the ink. I’ve filled a Stampin’ Spritzer (item 126185) with isopropyl alcohol for this purpose—it has a permanent home in my craft room!

After spending several days playing with ink, I am covered in stains and happy to share three of my favorite techniques with you.

Technique #1: The Brushstroke

This technique couldn’t be easier, and it results in an amazing layered background that looks like it was painted by a master. How perfect to pair with paint brushes! These stamps, from the Crafting Forever Stamp Set (item 143955) and the Just Add Text Stamp Set (item 143931) fit this artistic technique to a tee.

To recreate this technique, start with a dry sheet of Glossy White Cardstock and an ink pad of your choice. I used a Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin’ Pad (item 131171) and an Old Olive Classic Stampin’ Pad (item 126953). Holding your ink pad at a 45-degree angle to your cardstock, simply drag the ink along the surface. Varying your pressure and angle will change the look slightly. Adding a variety of layers and textures with your ink will perfect the “painted” look!

Technique #2: The Fade

The fade is so easy with Glossy White Cardstock, and it creates a subtle effect of a spotlight on a stamped image. Start by embossing the image of your choice. I used White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (item 109132). Heat-set with your Heat Tool (item 129053). Choose three Classic Stampin’ Pads in the same color scheme—I used Pool Party (item 126982), Bermuda Bay (131171), and Island Indigo (item 126986); then, using Sponge Daubers (item 133773), sponge the ink in a circular motion, starting with the lightest color in the center. Continue adding colors one at a time to the outer edges, proceeding from lightest to darkest. When your colors have been added, add some isopropyl alcohol to a clean Sponge Dauber and blend the inks.

I used this technique to spotlight the scissors from the Crafting Forever Stamp Set and added the coordinating sentiment die-cut using Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (item 145372). Accented with a background stamp from the Tabs for Everything Stamp Set (item 143907) and Bermuda Bay 3/8″ Mini Chevron Ribbon (item 144198), this card makes a great clean-and-simple note for a friend.

Technique #3: The Faux Watercolor

Talk about wow factor! This background technique is SO easy but it packs a major punch. You’ll need Glossy White Cardstock, isopropyl alcohol in a Stampin’ Spritzer, and a Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill in your choice of color. Shown here is Berry Burst (item 144089.) And there’s a little bonus! This technique yields TWO background pieces, so you have half the work per card!

To create this background, start by cutting two pieces of Glossy White Cardstock to your desired size (mine are 4-1/8″ x 5-3/8″). On ONE sheet of your cardstock, spray thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol, then drip your Classic Stampin’ Ink Refill over the surface. I recommend around 8–10 drops in various locations. Spray your cardstock again (it should be very wet) and tilt it in various directions until the ink runs. Set it flat on your protected surface, then place the second piece of Glossy White Cardstock shiny-side-down on the wet surface. You may want to slide your top piece of cardstock slightly to achieve a more blended look. Separate the two pieces of cardstock and your background design is finished; set it aside to dry and you’re ready to go!

If you find your ink didn’t blend as desired, simply add more alcohol while it’s still wet (since the alcohol is what helps it blend).

The focal point of this card was created with the Color Theory Designer Series Paper Stack (item 144193), Crafting Forever Stamp Set, Berry Burst 1/2″ Finely Woven Ribbon (item 144133), and a sentiment from the Wood Words Stamp Set (item 143928). Layering these elements in the corner lets the background shine.

Speaking of the Crafting Forever Stamp Set, in addition to the fabulous stamps used here, there’s one more great stamp included in this set that’s a must-have for every crafter.

The Stampin’ Up! Angel Policy means you can sell projects you’ve made with Stampin’ Up! copyright images as long as they include “© Stampin’ Up!” on them. Each catalog has one of these sets, and this year’s is Crafting Forever! How fabulous is that?!

Thank you so much for joining me today. I hope this blog inspired you to get out your new Glossy White Cardstock and start playing. Enjoy those inky hands!

Cheers,

Shannon Lane
2017 Artisan Design Team

Hello, crafty friends! I’m excited to share some my favorite things with you today and the Eastern Palace Suite Premier Bundle (147207) is at the top of my list right now.

I’m especially loving the Eastern Palace Specialty Designer Series Paper which is included with this awesome product collection! As soon as I saw it, I knew its rich fresh colors would be perfect for just about any occasion. Today I wanted to share a couple of cards that will be perfect for the guys in your life!

Aren’t these colors so yummy together?! I may be seriously crushing on Lemon Lime Twist at the moment. Lol!

I wanted to make sure the papers were the star of the show so I grabbed my Large Letters Framelits (141712) and  used the fabulous sentiments in the Eastern Beauty Stamp Set and the Eastern Medallion Thinlits to bring it all together.

Since I wasn’t about to toss any part of that beautiful paper, I decided to use the negative cutouts to create a great focal point for my “Dad” card. If you’re a little . . . uh . . . fussy about things being just right, here’s a tip for lining things up perfectly.

So all you have to do is lay the cutouts back into the shapes and add adhesive to the ones you want to stay in place. Then just remove the letters and everything should look just right.

Hope you’re inspired to use this amazing product suite to make a few cards to celebrate all the dudes you know!

Mercedes Weber
Artisan Design Team 2017

I can’t get over how quickly the time has come for another annual catalog launch. The new catalog always brings so much excitement to the stamping community with its fresh new In Colors, stamp images, and accessories.

Each year I love to put together a collection of cards that showcases the new In Colors along with other coordinating products. I chose the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack (item 144131) along with the Dare to Dream Host Stamp Set (item 143769) to create a fun set of cards.

This year’s Host stamp sets are fantastic, but the Dare to Dream Stamp Set stood out for me because of the beautiful greetings and fonts. I love when I can create my own greeting from a collection of words in a set. The Dare to Dream Stamp Set gives you this opportunity and so much more.

Keeping a monochromatic theme made these cards quick and easy to duplicate. While I kept the added accessories simple, they added just enough “WOW” to the card.

Each card starts with a Whisper White Thick Cardstock (item 140272) base (4-1/4″ x 11″). Then I added two layers from the Fresh Floral Designer Series Paper Stack measuring 3-1/2″ x 5″ and 3-1/8″ x 4-3/4″.

The adventure image was stamped on each of the five new 2017–2019 In Color Cardstock (item 144247) pieces measuring 1″ x 4-1/4″. I added a 1″ x 4-1/4″ strip under the greeting using the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack.

I wanted to break up some of the patterns from the Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper so the greeting would remain the focal point. To do this, I added a piece of Whisper White Cardstock (item 100730) and stamped the fun floral spray image from the Dare to Dream Stamp Set using each of the five new In Colors.

Lastly, I added a few new embellishments to each of the cards such as the 1/2″ Finely Woven Ribbon in Berry Burst (144133), Fresh Fig (item 144132), and Lemon Lime Twist (item 144135). I also added the new Glitter Enamel Dots (item 144200). The Glitter Enamel Dots are unique because the many ombre shades coordinate with the new In Colors.

I hope this inspires you to create a collection of cards using the new 2017–2019 In Colors products. The possibilities are endless with these fun new products!

Kimberly Van Diepen
Artisan Design Team 2017

Are you in the mood for spring? This project contains three gift ideas with florals and spring in mind!

For this card I used the Diagonal Stripe Stamp (141917) and the new Lemon Lime Twist Classic Stampin’ Pad (144086) to create my background. I am so in love with this new In Color! Did you know that you are able to order it in May? This color is the definition of spring for me!

The little flowers are from the Jar of Love Stamp Set (141587); I stamped them in Lemon Lime Twist (of course), Flirty Flamingo (141397), and Peekaboo Peach (141398).

The little bumblebee is from the Dragonfly Dreams Stamp Set (142924); I fussycut this little one out. For the sentiment I used the Dutch version of the Florishing Phrases Stamp Set (141531), Recht uit het Hart (143204). It says in English “For you, from me.” How cute is that!

And because I really love gift packaging, I made my own little box with the Gift Box Punch Board (135863). I used the measurements L and S to create this box. The final sizes are 8.3 cm x 8.3 cm x 4.4 cm. A perfect size for Mother’s Day chocolates, right? The blue paper is from the Tasty Treats Specialty Designer Series Paper (142770). The Pool Party background really stands out behind the flowers.

To finish it off, I used a piece of the Flirty Flamingo 3/8″ Ruched Ribbon (141426) and, of course, (because I love bling and sparkle) some little Rhinestone Basic Jewels (144220) available in May!

This picture frame was very easy to make and is a perfect gift for Mother’s Day! I used my leftover paper scraps and flowers that I didn’t use on my previous projects. This picture is an old one of my hubby and me. It sits on my scrap table now . . .

Enjoy spring and let it inspire you to create something beautiful!

Miriam van Eyden
2017 Artisan Design Team

Mother’s Day is coming up and I’ve put together a pretty manicure gift set for a mom—or for any amazing woman who could use a little pampering! I love putting gifts together in fun packaging and of course they must coordinate! But that’s easy to do by just making sure you use all the same elements for each item.

Do you have a few of the Mini Egg Cartons

(item 142776) left over? Don’t let them go to waste. They are great gift holders for treats any time of the year. I decided to use them to hold little mini nail polishes. They fit perfectly!

I used some of the items from the Eastern Palace Premier Bundle

(item 147207)—which are available to customers now from the new 2017–2018 annual catalog (item 146113). I decorated the outside of the carton with an Eastern Palace Specialty Designer Series Paper (item 144147) belly band. This gold paper is to die for. (I will be using it up quickly!) A 2″ x 12″ strip of this paper just fits around the carton—with a little wiggle room to take the belly band on and off. I used a small piece of Very Vanilla Cardstock (item 101650) to adhere the ends of the Designer Series Paper together. This way the Designer Series Paper can touch and you don’t have to overlap the paper to adhere it. You also don’t have to worry about the seam because that will be covered by the medallion.

Then I added two medallions to the belly band using the new Eastern Medallions Thinlits Dies (item 143725). The large medallion was die cut in Basic Black Cardstock (item 121045) and the smaller one uses the polka dot Designer Series Paper from the Eastern Palace Specialty Designer Series Paper.To make the larger medallion you will need to use one of the large Layering Circle Framelits Dies (item 141705) to cut it into a circle shape as shown below.

The medallion is decorated with flowers from the Jar of Love Stamp Set (item 141587). I stamped the flowers in Sweet Sugarplum (item 141395), Pink Pirouette (item 126956), and Tranquil Tide (item 144085) ink on Whisper White Cardstock (item 100730). First I stamped off the image once on scrap paper which gives you the lighter color on the flowers. (For the Tranquil Tide flower, I stamped off twice on scrap paper before stamping on Whisper White Cardstock.) The leaves were stamped in Lemon Lime Twist ink (item 144086). This is already my new favorite color! I love this time of year when you can experiment mixing the old and new colors. The rest of the egg carton is decorated with a Basic Black Solid Baker’s Twine (item 141682) bow and a gold tassel from the Mini Tassels Assortment (item 144154).

Also, included in this gift set is a Glassine Gift Bag (item 141700) filled with a nail file, lotion, and manicure set. I die cut two additional medallions with the Gold Foil Sheets (item 132622) and Basic Black Cardstock. I stamped and die cut another flower and a couple of leaves. I found the best way to adhere the leaves and flowers is to put Mini Glue Dots (item 103683) on the back of each one and arrange them how you like.

Finally, you can’t give a gift like this without a pretty card. (Mom or any other woman deserves one, after all!) I decided to use one of the sentiments from the All Things Thanks Stamp Set (item 143089) as the focal point of the card. I stamped the sentiment with Basic Black Archival ink (item 140931) on a die cut Whisper White Cardstock circle. I used another piece of the polka dot Designer Series Paper and a strip of the gorgeous gold Designer Series Paper from the Eastern Palace Specialty Designer Series Paper for the card background. I mounted this on Basic Black Cardstock and Whisper White Thick Cardstock (item 140272). Then I stamped and die cut more flowers using the same technique that I employed for the egg carton and glassine bag. The two-step stamping with this set along with the coordinating dies makes creating multiples of an image quick and easy. The final touches for this card were another Basic Black Solid Baker’s Twine bow and gold sequins from the Metallics Sequin Assortment (item 138390).

I hope you can see how using the same elements across all these projects makes everything look coordinated—and that this inspires you to make coordinating gift sets!

Jennifer Sootkoos
2017 Artisan Design Team

Of course, I usually make a card to go along with the treat. Here I created a simple card using the Dragonfly Dreams Stamp Set (item 142924) stamped with Mint Macaron (item 138326) and Tip Top Taupe ink (item 138325) on a layer of Whisper White Cardstock (item 100730). The square was die cut with the Big Shot (item 143263) and the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (item 145372). For the sentiment banner, I took Sweet Sugarplum ink (item 141395), added the dotted background on Sweet Sugarplum Cardstock (item 141418), and finished with the sentiment stamped in Rich Razzleberry ink (item 126950). The background is from the Succulent Garden Designer Series Paper (item 142778) finished off with Mint Macaron 3/8″ Sheer Linen Ribbon (item 141656).

For one of the banana breads that I made, I wanted to use one of the 6″ x 17″ Gusseted Cellophane Bags (item 142001). These bags are amazing and have come in handy for many homemade breads and treats over the last few months. The Tip Top Taupe tag was made with the Window Box Thinlits Dies (item 142762) with a piece of Whisper White Cardstock. I added a little extra hand-cut tag with the “thanks” sentiment tied with Whisper White Solid Baker’s Twine (item 124262). I added some Sweet Sugarplum ribbon from the Succulent Garden 3/8″ Ribbon Combo Pack (item 142781) to finish it off.

For the other loaf of banana bread, I wrapped the bread in the Sending Love Glassine Sheets (item 142734) and the same paper from the Succulent Garden Designer Series Paper pack.

The decorative tag was made with the same Mint Macaron ribbon and the (amazing and reversible) Lace Doilies (item 142793). The doily is showing the white side. I added a Sweet Sugarplum circle cut with the Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies and stamped with Sweet Sugarplum ink. The dragonfly is stamped with Soft Suede (item 126978) and Sweet Sugarplum ink. I cut an additional dragonfly out of Vellum Cardstock (item 101856) with the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies (item 142749). I also added Clear Wink of Stella (item 141897) to the dragonfly base.

Lastly, I stamped the sentiment with the VersaMark Pad (item 102283) and heat embossed the sentiment with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (item 109132) and the Heat Tool (item 129053).

I hope that this post inspires you to bake something yummy for a friend and make your packaging look extra-special!

Blessings,

Holly Stene
2017 Artisan Design Team