Overstock sale!

If you're like me and you wait for sales and discount codes, you'll want to check out Ellen Hutson's "Our Oops" section this weekend - with coupon code YAY you can save 30% on a whole bunch of overstocked items - I spotted a couple of my designs in there as well! Lots of fun things to choose from.

Go peek! Sale ends June 19th, 2018 at 11:59PM PDT.

Splitcoast Tutorial: Black Ice Technique

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is the Black Ice Technique, developed by Melissa Kerman! Melissa's tutorials are always well planned and so unique - I hope you'll take a peek! I pulled out 2 of my butterfly designs - I've been seeing more and more butterflies in my yard, and the milkweed is blooming - beauty everywhere.

I made 2 cards using her technique, but my base is a shimmery silver cardstock rather than a foil, and my results aren't as striking as hers - I may need to revisit the technique with some shinier cardstock - I think the clear embossing would show up better.

At an angle you can see the clear effects a little better, maybe...? I love these 2 stamps so much - I will link them below.

Here's my second sample, and you can see a little of the 'ice' effect on the butterfly in the photo below.

Stamps I used: Big Butterfly, What If, Grunge Butterfly, Courage Dear Heart

Thanks for stopping in!

Selective Stamping - quick and easy!

Just a quick post today - a few weeks ago I promised a video on how to make this clean and simple silhouette card, and it's done!

I used a couple of simple techniques for selective stamping, or stamping just part of an image at a time. Hope you enjoy!

The Flag Girl Silhouette stamp can be found HERE.

The Celebrating You stamp can be found HERE.

Have a great weekend!

Impression Obsession DT Challenge: Foodie Fun

The Impression Obsession team's challenge today is to create a project featuring something edible.

I love this clear set from Alesa Baker - it has some sweet sentiments and so many possibilities, from sparklers to florals and even a cute hangy banner! I stamped and embossed the cake, sparklers, and 4 sparkles with white powder, then watercolored with QoR paints. 

For a little extra shine, I embossed a few more sparkles with clear powder, and added some dots around them with ColorBox Smooch. 

I used more Smooch over the frosting on the cake too, and I love that added shine... my watercoloring shows through it, too, which I wasn't expecting. Looking forward to playing with that product a little more in the next couple of weeks!
Stamps I used: Sweet Celebrations clear set, Find Every Reason

Be sure to check out these other designers' blogs for inspiration -

Anna @ Sassy & Sweet Notes
Daniela @ For the First Time
Giovana @ Believe
Ilina @ Creativity Within
Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat 
Karen @ Paper Lilies and Ink 
Kelli @ Stamping with a Dream 
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft
Laura @ Laura's Stamp Art Journal
Vicki @ Summerthyme Studio


Remember you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps! See the I.O. blog for all the details - you might even win a $25 gift certificate!! We'd love to have you join us.

Splitcoast tutorial: Coffee Painting

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is Coffee Painting!

This was a fun technique to pick up again - I've done it before (HERE) with instant coffee, but I didn't have that on hand, so I tried my luck with the decaf in the pantry. The color isn't as rich as I would have liked, but maybe once my palette 'cures' a little longer I'll have a little more control of the depth of color.

This Printworks stamp has been sitting by my desk unused since the big Hobby Lobby sale - how long ago was that? Sentiment is from my stamp line at Impression Obsession (HERE).

It's been an exhausting week so far, and on top of it all, I discovered a couple of my stamp sets that have been stolen and are being sold from China through AliExpress... I'm trying to stay positive and keep perspective - I know many companies are seeing FAR more of their designs being used without permission, and 2 sets out of nearly 800 of my own designs is quite a small percentage.  Please support original artists and designers and earnest American companies and not dishonest thieves of intellectual property - that's really half the battle... and if you see sets you recognize being sold "unbranded" or by someone other than the company or a trusted retailer, please let the company or designer know.

I need a nap! 

Splitcoast Tutorial: Impossible Card

It's my turn to share a tutorial over on Splitcoast, and I chose to fill a request we've had for the Impossible Card - this 'twist' on a playing card trick is very popular right now, and I had fun putting together a photo tutorial I hope is easy to follow and adapt to any card size.

The card base is a single piece of cardstock (no fold), and the construction is very easy, with one score line and 3 cuts... the cuts don't even have to be precise, which makes this design sooo very versatile. 

I had this sweet little summer release (Mini Peekers clear set) on my desk still, and both the cat and dog images fit perfectly in the panel on this A2 design.

For my second sample and technique, I did a partial die cut in the focal panel, using my Baby Giraffe set - check the video to see how I customized the cuts for this card design! It's very easy to do.

Hope you'll give this a try!

Weekend sales!

Just a few weekend sales I've heard about - I'll add more as I find them!

Whimsy Stamps - discounts and codes below!

Consumer Crafts

no code needed

$3 shipping all weekend

EllenHutson.com - 20% off $75

code: betterthan

Sizzix - up to 80% off selected products

no code needed

Spellbinders - various items up to 70% off!

no code needed

RubberMoon

Save $10 off any order of $40 or more today through Monday, May 28th at 11:59 pm CST!

Use the code MEMORIAL10 at checkout

Gerda Steiner - 20% off your entire order

Code: TWENTY

Gina K Designs - 20% off your entire order

Code: SAVE20

Kindred Stamps

click for a 10% referral discount!

Pink and Main - 15% off your entire order

Code: MD2018

Dina Kowal Creative - 20% off your $20 order

no code needed!

CraftyDoodleChick.com - 20% off sitewide

Code: PARADE

CraftinDesertDivas.com - 20% off your entire purchase

Code: Memorial

 Concord & 9th - 15% entire store

Code: C9MEMORIAL15

GraciellieDesign - 50% off entire store

no code needed!

Chipboard Coffee Tags

Just had to pop in with a project for the Coffee Lover's Blog Hop! I've been wanting to play with a few ideas using this Fresh Brewed die from Sizzix, and I'm really happy with how these chipboard ornament tags turned out.

The cup portion of each tag is made up of 3 chipboard die cuts - they're glued and layered, then pressed for a good bond. Once the basic tags were assembled, I coated them front and back with 2 or 3 layers of gesso... next time I make these, I'll paint the pieces before I put them together... that will be quicker, especially for mass production.

Both tags are hand painted, which was really fun - I will definitely be making bunches of these for Christmas craft shows and gifts!

Thanks for stopping by - remember to link up to the coffee hop to win prizes, and take a peek in my store for a great discount during the hop!

Spring/Summer Coffee Lovers Blog Hop - Super Sponsor!

I'm so excited to be joining up with the 

Coffee Lovers Blog Hop today, 

and honored to be a Super Sponsor! 

Link up your project for a chance to win 

one of these 3 art prints (2 winners!)...

 or one of these coffee pendants (2 winners)! 

You can find these and more handmade items 

in my store HERE... and while you're there, please enjoy a 

20% discount on orders over $20! No code needed.

For a chance to win prizes, you have to play along! Head over to the Coffee Loving Cardmakers blog for all the details, and to link up your coffee, tea, or cocoa themed project! I'll be back tomorrow to link up to the hop again with a fun coffee project. Please enjoy a discount in my store below, and click HERE for even more weekend sales! 

Happy hopping!

Impression Obsession DT Challenge: Funny Punny

The Impression Obsession team's challenge today is to create a project with a pun or a little humor. I pulled out my Llama Love set, just for fun - it's not really punny, but I love the double-L sentiments, and llamas are so cute!

My llama is stamped on matboard, and colored with pencils - the background is done with Copics and watercolor, with some emboss resist as well.

Here's that cutie set - these stamps are available individually in rubber as well.

Links: Llama Love clear set, Llama (rubber), Llovely Day (rubber), Llove Ya (rubber), Chainlink Texture

Be sure to check out these other designers' blogs for inspiration -

Anna @ Sassy & Sweet Notes
Dina @ Dina Kowal Creative
Giovana @ Believe
Ilina @ Creativity Within
Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat 
Karen @ Paper Lilies and Ink 
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft
Remember you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps! See the I.O. blog for all the details - you might even win a $25 gift certificate!! We'd love to have you join us.