Playing with Patterns & Sunflowers

by Shannon Jaramillo // August 23, 2020 // 8 Comments

Hello there! I had SO much fun coloring this amazing sunflower stamp with my last post that I simply had to color another one before I put the Celebrate Sunflowers Bundle away! And it did not disappoint, I had JUST as much fun with this out-of-the box color combination for my sunflower!

Measurements:

Night of Navy Card Base 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
Bumblebee Card Stock Layer: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Misty Moonlight Card Stock Layer: 3 3/4″ x 5″
Night of Navy Card Stock Layer: 3″ x 4 1/4″
Bumblebee Card Stock Layer: 2 3/4″ x 4″
Playing with Patterns DSP Layer: 5th Largest Stitched Rectangles Die

Details:

I had attempted to use pattern paper from the Playing with Patterns DSP for my last card and had it out on my work table when I was choosing a color for my next sunflower – this pattern just jumped up and down and cried “Choose Me!”, so I did!
I stamped the sunflower in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink (always use Memento Ink with Stampin’ Blends or the black ink will bleed) and colored it in with Seaside Spray and Night of Navy (both light and dark) for the flower petals. The flower center was colored with Dark So Saffron, ringed with Dark Daffodil Delight, and Dark Mango Melody in the very center. All three together work beautifully with the Bumblebee card stock!
I die cut the stitched rectangle from this beautiful DSP and then just kept adding layers! I also felt some texture was needed so I embossed the Misty Moonlight layer with the Old World Paper Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Embossing Folder which I felt added that little somethin’ somethin’.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to pull out this 3/8″ Denim Ribbon for this card! The back story is that YEARS and YEARS ago, Stampin’ Up! carried this delightful ribbon in both Denim and Always Artichoke. I’m pretty sure I used the Always Artichoke ribbon a time or two, but never the denim. I SO wanted to use it so I held on to it and ‘lo and behold, last year they released it AGAIN!! Happy dance! Did I use it last year?? Well, no, but…I have FINALLY used it!! lol Doesn’t it add a wonderful texture to the mix?
It was at this point that I thought about a sentiment – nothing like waiting until the last minute! After lots of contemplation I pulled out this sweet sentiment from the Very Versailles stamp set – it fits perfectly and I know just who to send this card to now!!
Was that enough detail? Nope!! I’ve made a vow to myself to use more pieces of stamp and die sets before moving on to another set so I pulled out these leaf dies from the Celebrate Sunflowers bundle and die cut them in Bumblebee – oh my gosh! What a fantastic leaf die! I’m IN LOVE!!

After all that, I was worn out and decided to leave the card inside stamp free, but of course added a white panel cut with the 2nd largest Stitched Rectangles die and backed by Bumblebee card stock. I think with all of the texture and pattern going on on the card front, the interior is pretty enough, no need to add more!
Did you notice the scallop edge on the envelope flap? Yes, that’s another gorgeous die from the Envelopes Dies – another way to quickly and easily add a beautiful touch to your envelope!! I’m looking forward to experimenting with this die set to see how many unique touches I can add to envelopes – and looking forward to sharing them with you!

I’ve been busily creating in between unpacking boxes and hanging photos – my goal is to be completely settled by the end of August – we’ll see if I make it!

Thank you so much for stopping by to take a peek at today’s project and I hope to see you again soon!

Blessings to you!

Supplies:

Supplies (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted):

Card Stock: Night of Navy, Bumblebee, Misty Moonlight; Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White (80 lb)

DSP: Playing with Patterns 6″ x 6″

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Celebrate Sunflowers, Very Versailles

Coloring Tools: Seaside Spray, Night of Navy (Light and Dark); Dark So Saffron, Dark Daffodil Delight, Dark Mango Melody

Dies: Sunflowers Dies, Stitched Rectangles; Envelopes

Tools: Big Shot

Embellishments: 3/8″ Denim Ribbon; Wink of Stella

Other: Whisper White Envelope

A Clubhouse Birthday Celebration – Tic Tac Toe Challenge #64

by Shannon Jaramillo // May 14, 2020 // 3 Comments

Hello Friends! Woot, Woot! I’m excited to share a new Tic Tac Toe Challenge Board with you today! The wonderful Joanne James (from over the pond) is our featured designer this week and has come up with a board that has lots of masculine items on it but could easily be re-construed without the masculinity if you wanted:

I had a card in mind the minute I saw the board – I LOVE when that happens! It popped into my head immediately, so if it looks scarily like someone else’s card (which I hope it doesn’t), I’m going to apologize ahead of time and please let me know who you are so I can give you credit – (whoa, that was a long sentence!) – this is what popped into my head!:

I went with the middle row: twine, patterned paper and masculine.

Measurements:

Night of Navy Card Base 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
Granite Gray Card Stock Layer: 3 3/4″ x 5″
Clubhouse DSP Layer: 2″ x 4 5/8″

Details:

One of the things that I Most Love about Stampin’ Up! is their coordinating products. They make everything so EASY. Today I am working with the Clubhouse Cling Stamp Set and the Golf Club Dies which can be purchased together as a bundle for a 10% savings!

and the Country Club Designer Series Paper:

I adore the clean classic lines of this set and think it is one of the best golfing sets I have seen out in the market. If you agree and would like to add them to your collection, they are on the list to retire as of June 2, 2020, which means once they sell out, they will not be re-stocked, so get your order in before they’re gone!

I matted the Night of Navy base with a piece of Granite Gray card stock that I ran through the Big Shot with the Subtle Embossing Folder. Again, crisp, clean lines. {love}
Added a strip of DSP to tie back to the card base and really show off the stark white die cut golfer. My hubby is a golfer, and a no frills kind of guy, so I knew he would not want the image colored. I stamped it in Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and left it alone, simply popping it up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
So at this point in my card design, I have the pattern paper and the masculine down pat, but how to incorporate twine? …After some thought, I decided a simple strip of Mossy Meadow twine would be a perfect anchor for my die cut sentiment. Easy!
Somehow or another, this bitty tuft of grass die cut worked its’ way onto the card. Not sure how that happened (sneaky little things, dies), but I think it’s a wonderful accent!

I thought this ‘inside’ sentiment was PERFECT for this theme so I added it, but again, crisp and clean. Hubby is always in my mind design-wise (and, well, really all things-wise). I use his preferences as my guide and I think he would approve this card 🙂

So that’s how I interpreted today’s Tic Tac Toe Challenge Board, I can’t wait to see how it inspires you! And of course, for more inspiration please visit the Tic Tac Toe Challenge, lots of great ideas there!

Thank you SO much for stopping by, I really appreciate each and every visitor to my blog and to the challenge blog, take care, and please, be safe out there!

Blessing to you,

Supplies (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted):

Card Stock: Night of Navy, Smoky Slate; Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White (110 lb)

DSP: Country Club

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Clubhouse

Coloring Tools: None

Dies: Golf Club Dies

Tools: Big Shot

Embellishments: Magnolia Lane Ribbon Combo Pack – Mossy Meadow Thread

Other: Whisper White Envelope

Birthday Greetings – Tic Tac Toe Challenge #60

by Shannon Jaramillo // April 30, 2020 // 3 Comments

Hello there my crafty friends! It’s Thursday and that means it’s time for another Tic Tac Toe Challenge, this time Amy has created our super inspiring challenge board:

I chose to use the far right column, incorporating grass, a square (or two ;), and layers (I LOVE layers) to create a clean masculine birthday card:

Measurements:

Gray Granite Card Base 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
Pretty Peacock Card Stock Layer: 3 7/8″ x 5 1/8″
Botanical Prints DSP Layer: 3 5/8″ x 4 3/4″

Details:

While browsing online for inspiration, I came across a card made with this jaw-dropingly gorgeous geometric pattern paper from the Botanical Prints product medley. I just KNEW I had to pull it out and create something with it myself! BTW, this amazing medley of products is on clearance right now, down from $70 to only $42 – isn’t that an AMAZING price for all of these goodies?!?

I began this project right after going through the retiring items list from Stampin’ Up!, and I had seen quite a few items retiring that I hadn’t even pulled out yet to use, so with that in mind I reached for the Animal Outing stamp set. Such a darling rhinoceros! (I never ever thought that I would use the word ‘darling’ to describe a rhinoceros, but here we are!)
I stamped him in with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then quickly die cut him with the coordinating die; popped him up with Stampin’ Dimensionals onto a Pretty Peacock die-cut square, and then adhered both to a Gray Granite die-cut scalloped square.
I loved the sizing distance between the Pretty Peacock square and the Gray Granite scalloped square so I mimicked that in the sizing of my base layers, keeping a 3/8″ distance between the two. It leaves a nice glimpse of all of the colors.
I then tried really hard to add twine to my card, but just couldn’t quite pull that trigger – I was trying to use the center column of the challenge board (die-cut, twine, animals) but the twine just seemed to insubstantial next to all those thick layers. I then reached for this Pretty Peacock 1/2″ Scalloped Linen Ribbon which I to be honest, prior to now, hadn’t given much thought to but it was what I had in Pretty Peacock so I wrapped it around my layers and tied it into a knot, and – WOW! it is SO stunning! I will need to reach for it more often!

At this point I realized that I had not left space for a sentiment! (eek!), but after some pondering I found this darling sentiment in the Itty Bitty Greetings stamp set (it’s an awesome set!) and realized that I would be able to continue with the “square’ theme of my card! Perfect! I just stamped it in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink, die cut it with the smallest square in the Stitched Shapes die set and using Stampin’ Dimensionals, adhered it to my card at a fun angle!
By now I’ve realized that the twine just will not be making an appearance on this card (I had been holding out hope for it), so I had to go back to the challenge board and decided to move to the far right column and add some grass to my card. This image from the Animal Outings stamp set, stamped, die cut, trimmed down, and tucked behind the sentiment looks to me like tall African grasses!

I loved the clean look of this card so decided to STOP and not add anything else. Tall order, but I did it! 🙂
For the last step, I added some fun elements to the inside of the card, as well as adding randomly places grasses to the envelope flap using the same stamp I used for the grass around the sentiment:

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post, I had a blast creating this card and, as always, LOVE the mental stimulation of using a challenge board! We would LOVE to see what you’ve created using this week’s inspiration! Please pop on over to the Tic Tac Toe Challenge to see more inspiration from our talented design team!

Side note: I have been using this time of social isolation to sort through, organize, price and sell craft items from another crafter’s estate, as well as packing up my own house as I will be moving out of state in the next two months, so I want to share that I miss you, and miss my craft time, but will be posting more frequently toward the end of summer.

Take care of yourselves, stay healthy and safe, and make lots of pretty things!

Blessings!

Supplies:

Supplies (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted):

Card Stock: Gray Granite, Pretty Peacock; Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White (110 lb)

DSP: Botanical Prints

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Stamps: Animal Outing, Itty Bitty Birthdays

Coloring Tools: None

Dies: Animal Friends Dies, Stitched Shapes, Layering Squares

Tools: Big Shot

Embellishments: Pretty Peacock 1/2″ Scalloped Linen Ribbon

Other: Whisper White Envelope

An Open Heart – Freshly Made Sketches 422

by Shannon Jaramillo // February 16, 2020 // 5 Comments

Hello my stampin’ peeps! I am back in town and was SO happy to be able to perch on my stool in my craft space and MAKE SOMETHING! I’ve been away TOO long! And I have just enough time to squeeze in the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge! So let’s get to it!

Measurements:

Mossy Meadow Card Base 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
Pear Pizzazz Card Stock 4″ x 5 1/4″
Strip of Garden Lane DSP 2″ x 5 1/4″
White Die Cut Card Stock 2 3/8″ x 4 5/16″

Details:

In my search for an image that would fit within the layout parameters, I quickly came across the retired stamp set An Open Heart and decided that it would be perfect. It’s a set that I acquired secondhand and have never stamped up. I have FAR too many of those so was very happy to get it inky! I knew I would be coloring with alcohol markers so I stamped the main image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink.
Four colors of Stampin’ Blends were used here (you could easily just use one or two): Light & Dark Soft Sea Foam; Light Old Olive and Light Mossy Meadow. I needed a very fine tip pen to color in the branch stem so I pulled out my Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Write Marker for that.
I wasn’t sure what type of foliage I was working with and had no idea what the buds and berries really were so I went with the first image that popped into my head and that was – citrus! So I reached for more Stampin’ Blends in Light So Saffron (may I add that this is a FABULOUS addition to the Stampin’ Blends color variety – if you don’t have it, order it!) and Light Mango Melody. I love the brightness of Mango Melody!

Once the image was colored I searched through my stand alone dies for a rectangle shape narrow and tall enough to use with my stamped image and found the right size in the MFT stamps Pierced Traditional Tags die set. It fit perfectly and I like the added interest the tag shape adds to the card 🙂
I layered the tag over a pattern from the gorgeous Garden Lane DSP and then layered them both over a piece of Pear Pizzazz card stock which has been embossed with the Subtle 3D Embossing Folder.
I added this darling bird image from the same stamp set, again stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black (always use this ink when using alcohol markers), and wondered what color to color it. I am hopelessly illiterate when it comes to birds, but I found inspiration in the yellows of the buds and berries and then added darker shades as I went. When I was finished I had used a total of SIX colors! Light So Saffron, Light Mango Melody on the face, Light and Dark Crumb Cake on the body and Light and Dark Soft Suede on the wing and tail feathers. I’m pretty impressed with how he turned out. I have no idea if any such bird exists in nature but decided that it really doesn’t matter, and that knowledge is SO liberating! I just like the colors!! I fussy cut this little guy out and popped him up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
I found a perfectly small sentiment to add to my card in the Itty Bitty Greetings stamp set. This set is the replacement for Teeny Tiny Wishes.
The layout called for some of ribbon or twine so I reached for (as I often do) my Linen Thread and make a quick bow. I just love (insert audible sigh) these linen bows and add them to projects frequently.
Added some Wink of Stella to the the leaves and called it good – at least for the card front!

I chose a simple white insert for the card and added a darling sentiment from the Forever Lovely stamp set. The sentiment was inked up with Versamark Onyx Black for a vivid stamp and then I added a tiny leaf spring from the same set, colored in Light Soft Sea Foam with just a touch of color from my Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Write Marker. I left it at that for the card interior and proceeded to add matching DSP to the envelope flap and a partial stamp of the main image on the front of the envelope.

It can be sometimes a scary feeling for me when I start a project without a fixed image of the final result in my mind, but I worked through the twists and turns of the creative process and am super happy with how it turned out. Thank you again to the Freshly Made Sketches design team for their inspiration!! Make sure to visit the Freshly Made Sketches website to see all of their beautiful designs!!

Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Supplies (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted):

Card Stock: Mossy Meadow and Pear Pizzazz; and Neenah Classic Crest Cover Solar White (80 lb)

DSP: Garden Lane

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Versamark Onyx Black

Stamps: An Open Heart, Itty Bitty Greetings and Forever Lovely

Coloring Tools: Light & Dark Soft Sea Foam, Light Old Olive, Light Mossy Meadow, Light So Saffron, Light Mango Melody, Light & Dark Crumb Cake and Light & Dark Soft Suede Stampin’ Blends; Mossy Meadow Stampin’ Write Marker

Dies: MFT Stamps Pierced Traditional Tags & SU’s Envelope Die (retired)

Tools: Big Shot; Subtle 3D Embossing Folder

Embellishments: Linen Thread Wink of Stella

Other: Whisper White Envelope

How Sweet It Is – Freshly Made Sketches 368

by Shannon Jaramillo // December 23, 2018 // 7 Comments

Stampin-Up-How-Sweet-It-Is-Holiday-Christmas-Card-Idea-Shannon-Jaramillo-stampinup-SU

Hello My Friends! Are you knee deep in holiday preparations and celebrations? Me too but when my Stampin’ Up! preorder of new goodies from the upcoming Occasions and Sale-A-Bration catalogs came in, I MADE time to play!

Measurements:

White Card Base 4 1/4″ x 11″ scored at 5 1/2″
Everything else is a die cut!!

Details:

My jumping off point for today’s card was the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge. I loved the design and the opportunity to break in my brand new Stampin’ Up! Stitched Rectangle Dies! Yes! January 3, 2019 is the day they will be available for purchase!

I thought I would share with you a few process photos today, this one shows how I arrived at my basic layout – all with dies! And can you see how the rectangle on the left is more narrow than the other two? They have given us choices! Love it!
It just took a few minutes to decide which patterns to use for my layout – the new ‘How Sweet It Is’ DSP in the Occasions catalog made it very easy – AND provided me with these darling cupcakes to use as a die cut! The two cupcakes below were each hand cut out of one the patterns of the DSP (I used this pattern for the envelope flap as well).

I couldn’t decide which cupcake to use! The top cupcake used the color Gorgeous Grape for the cupcake liner but I didn’t have Gorgeous Grape anywhere else on my card so I felt that the color actually took away from my overall design. And the Coastal Cabana cupcake liner with the white frosting in the bottom photo blended too easily with the patterned paper behind it. WHAT TO DO???

Stampin-Up-How-Sweet-It-Is-Holiday-Christmas-Card-Ideas-Shannon-Jaramillo-stampinup-SU

I fussy cut the Coastal Cabana cupcake liner and adhered it right on top of the Gorgeous Grape cupcake liner to create my own custom combination! There are four different cupcakes in the patterned paper to create SO many custom options! And I love that the images already come white the white outline…SO simple to cut out!
This darling sentiment (love the font!) is from the ‘Hello Cupcake’ photopolymer stamp set that you will be able to get free with your $50 purchase of any product! Super cute stamp set, I’ll be back with more samples soon!
The embellishments are all retired. The super sparkly and scrumptious enamel dots retired with the last annual catalog but you could easily use whatever you have on hand. The darling ribbon is VERY retired…like maybe 7 years ago? It also came in Old Olive and Marina Mist and was quite unlike any ribbon I had seen before so I kept it, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to use it!!
The large white rectangle is popped up using white craft foam and the cupcake and sentiment are both popped up with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Stampin-Up-How-Sweet-It-Is-Holiday-Christmas-Cards-Ideas-Shannon-Jaramillo-stampinup-SU

I die cut another rectangle for the inside the same size as the one on the outside and then trimmed it out with Melon Mambo card stock. These super sweet flowers are from the ‘Hello Cupcake’ stamp set again (they are just the perfect size for an accent!) and the sentiment is from a stamp set that you will be able to purchase from the Occasions catalog called ‘Birthday Cheer’. Super fun fonts in this set!!

Here is the sketch from the Freshly Made Sketches design team that inspired today’s project:

I had such a fun time using this sketch and all of the bright new products available Jan 3rd from the Occasions catalog – it’s always fun to play with brand new stuff!!

Thank you for taking the time to visit me today and I hope that you have a wonderful holiday! I will be back next week with new projects!

Blessing to you!

Supplies (all Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted):

Card Stock: Melon Mambo and Stamper’s Select White by Papertrey Ink

DSP: How Sweet It Is

Ink: Melon Mambo and Versafine Onyx Black

Stamps: Hello Cupcake (outside Greeting); Birthday Cheer (inside greeting)

Dies: Rectangle Stitched and Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies; retired Envelope Liner Die

Tools: Candy Cane Builder Punch; Stampin’ Trimmer

Embellishments: Glitter Enamel Dots and 3/8″ Melon Mambo ribbon, both retired

Other: Whisper White Envelope