
Hi friends! I’m super excited to be a part of the Simon Says Stamp Be Creative Blog Hop on Day 2! You can check out Day 1 HERE. You should have arrived here from Heather Ruwe, and your next stop is Lea Lawson. You can also head back to the Simon Says Stamp Blog to see the full hop list. This month’s Be Creative release is full of a huge variety of fun new products, and I have two projects to share with you featuring the new goodies, so let’s get started with the details.

My first card features a clean and simple design created with the new Vitamin Sea stamp set (I have a more involved card that I shared earlier this week HERE on my blog). I stamped the mermaid lounging on a rock from Vitamin Sea using some Intens-ified Black ink from Hero Arts, then used my Copic markers to add color to the images. I used the coordinating dies to cut the images out, trimming off the water around the rock to simplify the look.

I wanted to create a window behind my pensive mermaid with a colorful sky background, so I die cut a circle from an A2 sized card panel using the Thin Frames dies. On a second piece of A2 cardstock, I lined up the two panels and then used a pencil to lightly trace the window opening so that I would know where to do do my ink blending. I then used blending brushes with the Horizon stencil to blend Taffy, Iris, and Galaxy inks and create a luscious sunset background. I used some of the bird stamps in the Vitamin Sea stamp set to add some flying birds onto the cloudy background. I then adhered the A2 circle frame with some foam tape and the thin frame (left over from die cutting the large frame) with some liquid adhesive.

I popped up the mermaid with a double layer of foam tape to help her pop from the background, then stamped a greeting from Vitamin Sea using black ink and used the coordinating dies to cut it out, popping it up with another double layer of foam tape. I love the extra dimension that the foam tape adds to the different layers! Keeps this relatively simple card from looking boring, in my opinion.

My second card is an homage to Lisa Frank! Remember the Lisa Frank trapper keepers, pencils, notebooks, stickers, etc that we were obsessed with as kids? Well, I couldn’t resist using the Animal Print stencils with several of my favorite Paws-itively Saturated inks to create a fun, colorful Lisa Frank-inspired background to go with the new Simply Fabulous sentiment die! I started by blending Rose, Amethyst, Iris, Cadette, and Lucky inks on the diagonal on an A2 panel of cardstock.

Next, I placed the blended panel in the center of the new Stamp & Stencil Mat and used the sticky area around the mat on the edges of the panel to place the Animal Print stencil and keep it perfectly in place while I blended black ink over the top of the stencil, creating my rainbow leopard print background! Having the adhesive all the way around the edge kept my stencil nice and snug against my blended background, helping to create a super crisp stenciled background!

I used black glitter foam from Spellbinders to die cut the outline background from the new Simply Fabulous die, then die cut the detail layer from some silver holographic cardstock. The foam base layer helps to add a bit of height to the sentiment without any extra effort! I added some sentiment strips from the previously-released Spring in my Step, heat embossed in silver on some thin strips of black cardstock. Before I adhered the sentiment pieces, I die cut a black frame using the A2 Thin Frames and adhered it in the corner of the blended card front with liquid adhesive at a jaunty angle. I adhered the sentiment pieces with liquid and foam adhesive, then added a few iridescent gems that matched the rainbow feel of the card!
Well, that’s all for my projects for today! Now, to celebrate the Be Creative release, Simon Says Stamp is giving away a $25 shopping spree to one commenter on each of the hop stops! Simply leave a comment on each hop stop, then check the winners announcement on February 22 to claim your prize.
Simon Says Stamp is also offering a super cute freebie with purchase! Simply enter code ART4U at checkout to receive the Handcrafted With Love stamp set for free.
Your next stop on the hop is Lea Lawson. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

I LOVE the mermaid and your stenciling on both!
Both of your cards are fantastic! The mermaid is SO sweet and beautiful, and the animal print is bold and stunning!
That Vitamin Sea card would be perfect for a friend of mine. Gorgeous. I also love the ink blending on the animal print card. Makes me think of Lisa Franks.
Both cards are wonderful with those vibrant colors! That mermaid….how sweet. TFS today.
The first card is gorgeous.
Love the fantastic sky in the
background. The tiger print
card is great. Bold colors.
thanks for sharing.
Awesome creations, I especially love your mermaid card!
The mermaid on the rock is so cute. I just showed a photo of The Little Mermaid statue that we saw in Copenhagen–to our Little Mermaid loving granddaughter. She loved seeing it. She would love this card, too. It is just adorable! Now I want to see the movie again….
I love the new collection- especially Cathy Z’s designs!
Love the striking differences in styles for both both cards!
Wow i love how you did the sunset background for the mermaid! Awesome colours!
Wonderful cards! I am loving that cute mermaid!
So whimsical! Love the mermaid card and the creative colors you used for the clouds. I also love the bold colors on the 2nd card! Nicely done on both!
I love them! Your mermaid scene is amazing and I really love your Lisa Frank inspired card. I remember having Lisa Frank stickers all over my room growing up – not to mention her school folders, binders, etc. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I love the vitamin sea card! The inner frame is a great touch
Great stenciling, Love the mermaid card. Thanks for sharing your creativity.
Love those colorful cards and love that sweet mermaid!
These are Beautiful!!!!!
She is such a cutie!! We all can use some Vitamin Sea these dreary days at the end of winter… Love so many of the products in this release. TFS
Your mermaid card is so sweet and the animal print card is so creative! LOVE
Love both cards.
I love how you aren’t afraid of colour! Both cards are awesome!
These are incredible! I love the layout of your first card especially!
I love the colors in both cards. Great cards.
I could definitely use some vitamin sea. Love your pen too.
Pretty cards.
What a sweet mermaid!!!
This is such a fantastic mermaid card! I love the colors and spot lighting!
I can’t say enough about your mermaid card. It is absolutely adorable. The colors are gorgeous!
Wonderful cards. Your mermaid card is so sweet, love how you created this.
Your clouds on the Vitamin Sea card are gorgeous. Love the mermaids as well. Thank you
I agree, the clouds are gorgeous, the colors are so pretty!
Thanks for sharing.
your cards are lovely – the first one is so sweet
mermaid scene is great
Great projects.
Love that animal print look!
Great cards! I love that mermaid one! Thanks for sharing!
Very cool cards!
Great cards. Beautiful coloring job
Wonderful cards! Oh the memories of Lisa Frank school supplies! 🙂
Those clouds! The mermaid card is so whimsical and fun. I wish I was as talented in color choices, coloring, and ink blending… but I’m learning thanks to artists like you! Thank for being part of the hop.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful cards!
Those clouds! Love the mermaid card so much. COPIC coloring is spot on!
Both these cards are so beautiful. I love the circles on the first card. They are perfect framing the mermaid. Lovely.
Cute and fabulous cards. I like the colors.
Fabulous colors!
Lovely cards! I especially love the second one with that interesting envelope!
So sweet! Love the Mermaid card!
Love the colours, beautiful cards!
Your mermaid card is so beautiful and dreamy!!
So cute, love the puns on the sentiment set adorable
(Like the card says) Simply Fabulous. I really love it.
What a beautiful mermaid card.
Lovely coloring on your sweet daydreamy scene. Definite cool Lisa Frank vibes!
Ooooooh, how sweet – that mermaid card is one of my favourites from the whole hop!
I LOVE your sense of color! Fun cards!
Love your sweet mermaid card and the sentiment on the second card is perfect for the background you created. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful cards! I especially like the first card! It is so sweet and cute.
Love your cards, Emily! The animal print is so bright and colorful.
Your cards are simply fabulous! Thank you so much.
Gorgeous colors! love the card.
So cute – love those images.
I love the mermaid card. She is just so precious!
So cute and beautiful. I love the background of clouds and birds.
That mermaid card is adorable. Also, the bright rainbow behind the animal print reminds me of Lisa Frank! Very cool.
Delightful mermaid card. Love your choice of colors on both.
These cards are absolutely beautiful. I love the mermaid stamp set so much! And the back ground on the second card is so awesome! Love this inspiration! Thank you~
Love your mermaid card!
Great cards! love what you did with the mermaid
Beautiful and inspirational card from this SSS release!!
Fabulous card designs! Love the colorful leopard background.
Lovely cards Emily, I love that precious mermaid!
Such fun cards! Love the little mermaid so much!
Both cards are beautiful!
Lovely cards. The Animal Print background is so cute!!