Playing With Polka Dots and a Big and Happy Welcome to my Newest Recruit, Nola

Before I share my fun card for today, I want to shout out a big welcome to my newest recruit, Nola.  Welcome, Nola!  I'm so glad to have you as part of my Inkin' in the Land of Lincoln Team.  Even though she no longer lives in Illinois, she did when I first met her and I've enjoyed staying in touch with her.   One of the very nicest things about creating art to share is that so many of my customers become dearly loved friends.  What a joy!
Give me some dots and speckles, in assorted sizes, and I can come up with a bunch of fun projects.  The new Berry Burst and Lemon Lime Twist look so beautiful together, that this just shouts out to be a fun and cheerful card.

I grabbed a sponge applicator to apply the largest polka dots, stamping off to get lighter shades of color.  The Berry Burst smaller polka dot is from our Work of Art stamp set, along with the text.

I needed the tiny speckles to really make it all come together, so I reached for one of my 'go to' stamp sets --- Awesomely Artistic.  I love and adore this stamp set.

I love this card!  It is so bright and cheerful, mainly due to how very well our Lemon Lime Twist and Berry Burst colors play together.  Adding the leaf sprig and flower (both die cuts) make a nice focal piece for my card.

This could be used for a note to say hello, a thank you, a birthday ...

Time is now running out for me to choose my favorite new stamp set, favorite new In Color, and favorite new accessory.  My guests at my Open House will be trying to guess.  The winners will be announced the day after my party.  These are tough decisions this year because I love all our In Colors and I love tons of our new stamp sets and accessories.  I might have to have some help.  Toby Joe, Buster Bo Jangles, Lilly Belle --- help me decide!!!
Maybe Joey can help me.  He seems to be quite into helping me keep my studio organized and functioning.  I did have to tell him that I did NOT buy my cute little Raskog cart so he could remove my carefully organized new art accessories and start putting his toys in it.  He is a busy boy and I love him to pieces!

Before you go...
I'm working ever so hard to get ready for my big Open House/New Catalog Party (Sunday, June 25).  I hope you've put it on your calendar, if you live in the area.  My goal is to have the absolute best party ever.  Get ready for some creative fun.  Let's party!!!  RSVP by June 23.  If you can't come, you may order online through my website, using this HOSTESS CODE:

YAGNA44P

YOUR ONLINE ORDER, USING THIS HOSTESS CODE THROUGH MY WEBSITE, WILL BE SHIPPED DIRECTLY TO YOUR HOME.

Remaining June Events:
June 23 + 24 / GARAGE SALE / 8:00-5:00

June 25 / Open House New Catalog Party / 2:00-5:00

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world.

- Come back often for more creative inspiration. 

5 New In Colors All In One Card

Even with all the wonderful new and old ways to add coloring to a project, one of my favorite techniques is still using an ink pad and my Aqua Painter.  It's quick, it's easy and it's fun.  Make a puddle of ink in the lid of your ink pad.  Add a few drops of water, if needed.  Pick up your Aqua Painter and let the fun begin.  I used all 5 of our new In Colors for this card.  

I added a few speckles from Awesomely Artistic and a greeting from Best Birds.  When coloring with the inks and Aqua Painter, you can lighten or darken the shades of colors depending on how much water you use.  I was using Whisper White CS, rather than Shimmery White or watercolor paper, so I couldn't use too much water or go over the same spot too long, or I would break down the fibers in the CS.

Did you notice the new Glitter Enamel Dots?  I am in love with them!  They come in varying sizes AND varying shades of Dapper Denim, Crushed Curry, Berry Burst and Old Olive.  Love!!!

SECRET MESSAGE:
If you live in the area, you can stop by and pick up your copy of our new catalog.  Call first so we don't disturb the baby's nap, please.

June Events:
June 12 / Scraps and Prayers / All Occasions Cards / 5:30-7:30 / $15.00 / Make some beautiful cards to add to your stash to send to special friends and/or family.

June 17 / Saturday Stampers /  Mixed Media Patriotic Project / 1:00-4:00 / $20.00 

REGISTRATION CLOSED.

June 22 / EARLY BIRD GARAGE SALE / 5:30-6:30
June 23 + 24 / GARAGE SALE / 8:00-5:00

June 25 / Open House New Catalog Party / 2:00-5:00

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world.

- Come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Sometimes Simple is Just Simply Beautiful

This was one of the top favorites from my recent Saturday Stampers class where we worked on cards that used stencils creatively.  I just love how it turned out.

The stencil I used is actually not a stencil at all.  It is a framelit with 3 little square openings along the side (or the top, if used that way).  It actually had another opening that was a long rectangle, but I only needed the 3 squares.  I've had it a long time, so I'm not sure of the source.

I sponged slightly darker at one corner of the square and then used a lighter touch to complete filling in the square.  Notice that I chose a different corner of the square to be the darker portion for each of the 3 squares.  It just makes it more artistic.

I used Island Indigo ink for the sponging and the text.  After making sure the sponged ink was completely dry (heat set) I embossed a dragonfly over each square.  This would make a good sympathy, birthday or thinking of you card, just by changing the text.

Don't forget:  Sunday, March 26 -- 
Spring Open House Party / 2:00-5:00 / a 'no fee' event ' / RSVP by March 24 and I'll have a special gift waiting for you.  Come and join us for an afternoon of creative fun! 
ALSO:
Be sure to look over on the left side of my blog for sneak peeks at the projects for my April classes!!!

- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world.

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

2 Fall Wreath Cards

I have two cards for you today, both using wreaths as Fall decor.  

PLEASE NOTE:  
If you have a coupon from Toby Joe for $10. off an upcoming class, you may use it for $10. off the card kits shown below.  Be sure whenever you use a coupon that you have it with you.  I need these for tax records.

Special Reminders:

Christmas Card Kits for sale!

 

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- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top to see my class schedules. 

- Look on the left for sneak peeks and registration policies. 

- Please sign up to follow my blog and/or leave a comment. 

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

Copper Layers Card

I have a beautiful Fall card for you today that's layered with copper ... Copper Foil ... Copper EP ... Copper die cut piece ... and is just beautiful.  I have a similar one to share in my next post, where I'll give a mini tutorial on how to create the background. 

I absolutely love this card.  The added layers make it even more elegant.

The foil die-cut piece makes it quite dramatic.  Remember, in my next post, I'll share a mini tutorial on this technique, so be sure to come back to see it.

PLEASE NOTE:  
If you have a coupon from Toby Joe for $10. off an upcoming class, you may use it for $10. off the card kits shown below.  Be sure whenever you use a coupon that you have it with you.  I need these for tax records.

Special Reminders:

Christmas Card Kits for sale!

 

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- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top to see my class schedules. 

- Look on the left for sneak peeks and registration policies. 

- Please sign up to follow my blog and/or leave a comment. 

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

Gold Butterfly Fall Card

Not too long ago, I made a gorgeous butterfly card using gold and Island Indigo.  This was, without a doubt, one of the prettiest cards I've ever made.  I loved it.  Well, why not a Fall version of this same card?  Here it is! 

Here's the previous card I made:
http://nannastamps.blogspot.com/2015/09/acrylic-block-technique-cards-part-10.html

Well, I'd have to say that I love both color versions for this card.

Special Reminders:

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- Thanks for stopping by my corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top to see my class schedules. 

- Look on the left for sneak peeks and registration policies. 

- Please sign up to follow my blog and/or leave a comment. 

- Come  back often for more creative inspiration. 

Another Fun Sneak Peek Project ... for my Spring Open House Partry

I tried to come up with something a little different (besides my card projects) for another Make and Take project for my Spring Open House Party.  This was a really fun project.

This project starts out as a simple Kraft bag ... add some scoring ... and a little snipping... and you now have a special pocket to insert a card.

For those sending in their RSVP (by March 17) to attend my party, I will have a surprise to add to the pocket of their project!  I love surprises!

You can use this design idea to create a card for most any occasion.

What else could you add to your pocket?

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

One Design...2 Ways, Part One

Here's a sneak peek at a card I designed for my Spring Open House Party.  I actually ended up making 2 versions of this card.  My Spring Party Open House guests will have to choose which one they'd like to make at the party.

Have you ever made a card, stepped back and looked at it, didn't like it and just set it aside.  I did that recently, then went back... fixed it and now I like it a lot! 

At first, I thought it was too plain.  Then, I added some tiny speckles and now I really do like it.  Sometimes, just a tiny change like this one is all you need to take a card from blah to beautiful.

Our new Blossom Bunch Punch is fun and easy to use.  I saved one of the 3 flowers to use on the inside of my card.  The flowers on the front of the card are completely covered with Wink of Stella.  For the inside flower, I just added my Wink of Stella to the center of the flower.

Come back soon for a second version of this card.  I think you'll like it, too.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration. 

Let's Count Our Blessings

For our next Scraps and Prayers project, I decided to design a cover for a special journal.  This is a journal to use to write down reminders of blessings for which we are thankful.  When you hit a day when too many things seem stacked against you, you can take out this journal and focus on the good things going in your life. 

I have a stack of journals waiting (more than you see in the photo:) and I hope one will be for you.

I've used heat embossing, basic stamping and a die cut title.

I added a ribbon to use for a bookmark in the journal.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or look on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.