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Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

simon says stamp

Simon Says Stamp Dream Big Blog Hop-Day 2!

Hi there! Today, we are hopping along to celebrate the Simon Says Stamp Dream Big release! (You can check out the Day 1 blog hop HERE.) You should have arrived here from Barbara Tarayao, and your next stop is Miriam Prantner. I am extra excited about today’s hop, because I have a fun video to share using my newest stamp illustration: Magnolia Apple Blossom! You can check out the video below or click HERE to watch it on YouTube.

For this project, I wanted to create a bright, vibrant bouquet featuring my new favorite medium: gouache! I was able to experiment with pairing white gouache with liquid watercolors earlier this summer, and it was such a blast that I had to try it out with this giant Magnolia Apple Blossom bouquet.

I began by stamping the large bouquet from Magnolia Apple Blossom onto some Simon Says Stamp Midnight Green cardstock using Hero Arts Unicorn ink. The white pigment ink fades beautifully into the opaque paint and shows up perfectly against the dark cardstock background. I die cut the image with the coordinating dies. I mixed the liquid watercolors with the white gouache to create a variety of shades of opaque paint. The brighter the watercolors, the better, because the opaque white gouache will seriously dilute the color from its original vibrancy. The super thick Midnight Green cardstock worked beautifully with this thick paint; it did not warp or pill at all!

I like to mentally replace the water that I would normally use to dilute the watercolor with the white gouache. The white gouache acts to dilute the intensity and vibrancy of the watercolor, so adding more gouache will make your color lighter, more watercolor/pigment will make it brighter and more intense. I laid down the medium shade in the areas that were more shadowed, then added some more white gouache to that medium shade and painted the petals that were on the top, or curled over on themselves. As with all no-line coloring, keeping the contrast and sharp lines between the edges of each image was key in maintaining the shape.

Once my painting was complete, I used the Magnolia Branches Embossing Folder from Simon Says Stamp to emboss a mini-slimline (3.5″x6″) panel of more of the Midnight Green cardstock, which I lightly splattered with more white gouache to add a touch of artsy texture to the background. I popped up the painted die cut with foam tape, then added a sentiment strip from Magnolia Apple Blossom using a double layer of foam tape for extra height. Finally, I added a few Milk Glass jewels for some iridescent sparkle!

My second card features one of the new standalone dies from the Dream Big release: Lemon Zest. I love that these new dies feature just enough detail that you can use colored cardstock for a chunkier, more graphic effect, or you can use your favorite coloring medium to add lots of detail and shading, as I’ve done here. I began by die cutting all of the components from Lemon Zest from plain white cardstock. I used my Copic markers to add a ton of vibrant color to the images. This would be fun to do with ink pads and ink blending, too!

For the background, I wanted to add a subtle pattern, so I pulled out the Interlocking Circles Stencils. These stencils have a definite Tuscan feel to them, which I thought worked perfectly with the bright lemon die cuts! I blended Lemon Chiffon and Duckling inks to create a subtle, sunny pattern for the background.

I die cut a vellum Nested Domed Arches die to create a smooth area to ground my greeting and lemon cluster. I stamped a greeting using the Well Wishes stamps and Pine Paws-itively Saturated ink, then arranged my die cuts and sentiment over the top of my vellum arch. I added the die cuts with lots of foam adhesive, hiding the foam tape behind the solid die cuts to keep it from peeking through my transparent vellum die cut. Finally, I added a few bright yellow iridescent pearls to add a bit of shine!

My final card today might be tied with the magnolia gouache card for my favorite card from this release. As soon as I saw the new Ice Cream Scoop dies, I wanted to create a festive pastel birthday card with them featuring the Layered Confetti stencils. I began my project by die cutting all of the components for the Ice Cream Scoop die cuts three times from white cardstock. I again used my Copic markers to add lots of color to the die cuts, creating vanilla bean, strawberry, and mint chocolate chip ice creams. (Yum, right?) I adhered all of the components together using both liquid and foam adhesive to create as three dimensional a look as possible.

Next, I created a party background with coordinating ice cream shoppe colors! I combined the Layered Confetti stencils with Guava, Spring, and Goldenlocks inks, blending the stencils on a white background, then randomly blending all three colors around the edge of the card front to create a soft, almost bokeh-effect. I also layered a few Streamer Ribbons cut from white cardstock towards the top of my blended background to add an even more festive feel to the card front.

After the card base had been completed, I adhered the ice cream cones to the card front using foam adhesive. I cut the detailed “happy birthday” from the Scripty Happy Birthday die set from some white glitter cardstock and adhered it to the ice cream cones. So many different elements on this card, but I love how festive and sweet this one ended up! The different looks that you can achieve from just some plain white die cuts is absolutely amazing to me.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! Now, to celebrate the release and the blog hop, Simon Says Stamp is generously giving away a $25 shopping spree from one commenter on each stop on the hop!

To enter, simply leave a comment on each blog hop stop. The more comments you leave along the way, the more chances you have to win! The winners will be announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday the 27th of July. The winners can email the folks at Simon Says Stamp to claim your prize!

Simon Says Stamp is also offering a free gift with purchase! Enter code BIGHUGS at checkout to receive the sweet Scripty Big Hugs die FREE with any purchase! This promotion will expire 7/24 at 11:59 pm EDT.

Your next stop is Miriam Prantner. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

Simon Says Stamp Dream Big Release + New Illustration!

Hi there! Simon Says Stamp is releasing their latest collection this evening, called Dream Big, and boy is it a fabulous release! I am loving on so many different things- the new ice cream cone dies, the lemons, the embossing folders…. but I am especially excited to have a new illustration released with it: Magnolia Apple Blossom! I love the grace and beauty of magnolias, and so drawing this new stamp set was such a joy. I have made a couple of projects with it for the release, but tonight I’m sharing a simple Copic-colored project featuring the smaller individual flowers, foliage, and apple blossom buds, so let’s get started with the details!

I began by stamping several of the smaller, individual elements from Magnolia Apple Blossom onto some white cardstock using Intens-ified Black ink. I colored them with Copic markers, using the lightest shades from several different color families to create some highlights and shadows, as well as adding some reflections of color along the edges of the petals. It’s very difficult to color “white” flowers, because if you just leave them with the absence of any color, there is no depth or curvature to the flowers, but if you put too much color, it can look dingy. The BV shades that I used to create shadows made the initial images look a touch dingy, but when I added some (very pale) Y and R Copic markers, it helped to brighten the petals up a bit! I always make sure to keep my colorless blender close at hand so that I can blend out any harsh lines and allow the white of the cardstock to show through to add highlights and keep the overall feeling of the flower white. The intense jewel green of the leaves helps to add to the contrast of the white flowers and add to the illusion of their “lack” of color!

For the card base, I die cut the beautiful Detail Bohemian Plate from some white cardstock to match the white borders on the floral die cuts. I also die cut some rectangular white frames using the A2 Thin Frames dies and layered those on the cover plate die cut. I arranged the colored flowers in a swag, then used the new Low-Tack Tape to adhere the arrangement together before flipping it over and adding foam tape. I removed the release paper, then flipped the arrangement over and added it to the die cut background.

I die cut a few of the new Layered Rose Leaves dies from some vellum to add some ethereal and weightless foliage to help fill in a few of the gaps of the floral spray. I created a sentiment strip using a sentiment from Magnolia Apple Blossom and added it with a double layer of foam adhesive. Finally, I added some Milk Glass gems to add some extra shine and a new textural element.

My next projects are a total 180* switch from the elegant project above, featuring the new XL Student Greetings. I created a duo of little lunchbox notes that are the perfect size to tuck into my kiddos’ backpacks or lunchboxes when school starts next month! I began by stenciling the Dimensional Stars stencils onto an A2 panel of cardstock, one using the Green Ink Trio 15 Paws-itively Saturated Inks and one with Purple Ink Trio 16 Paws-itively Saturated Inks.

Once I had finished ink blending using the layered star stencils, I used the Large Pocket Note die to cut these sweet little notes that are the perfect size to tuck in so many different places! Lunch box, backpack, jacket pocket… I stamped the greetings from XL Student Greetings in coordinating ink shades and die cut them using the coordinating wafer dies.

Next, to add a little bit of extra texture and some sparkle, I die cut a few glittery stars using the Nested Star dies from Pinkfresh Studio and some coordinating glitter paper. I popped up the greeting using foam adhesive, then added the stars with some liquid adhesive.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! I have several more projects to share with you later this week. Some of my favorite projects that I’ve made recently! I hope you’ll check out the new Dream Big release; it’s such a fun release with such a huge variety of styles available. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Simon Says Stamp Let’s Chill Blog Hop + Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m hopping along with Simon Says Stamp for Day 2 of the Let’s Chill blog hop to celebrate the brand new Let’s Chill release. (You can check out day 1 HERE.) You should have arrived here from Barbara Tarayao, and your next stop is Miriam Prantner. I have three projects for you today featuring lots of beautiful, beachy-themed goodies and some of the totally stunning new Paws-itively Saturated inks. Let’s get started with the details!

My first card features the brand new Basic Box Card Beach and Sky dies, which I used to create my very first box card! I am not very good with 3D, interactive-type cards, but let me tell you…. this one was so much fun to create, and not horribly complicated! I did refer to this very helpful video from the Simon Says Stamp website to create the basic card using the Basic Box Card dies.

I die cut all of the components for the box card using plain white cardstock, creating a sky by blending some color to the window cut-out with the new Morning Paws-itively Saturated ink and a blending brush. I adhered this blended “sky” to the very back of the box card using liquid adhesive to make sure it was completely straight.

For the interior of the card, I did some no-line coloring using a few of the images from the new Let’s Get Away stamps and dies. I stamped the hammock chair, drink, and umbrella onto some white cardstock using Contour Ink, then added lots of crisp blue and gray using Copic markers. Nothing says “nautical” to me like crisp royal blue and white!

I added the chair, umbrella (trimming off the edge so that it was at an angle), and drink using some Dot Adhesive tape runner, then added a greeting from the new Beachy Keen stamp set, cutting it out with the coordinating dies. I am no engineer, and definitely no Jennifer McGuire, goddess of the fun-folding cards, but creating this was super fun and simpler than I expected! The Basic Box Card dies definitely make things easier than you would think! And bonus: these box card dies fold up completely flat inside an A2 envelope for super simple mailing. So fun, right?

My next projects are a pair of coordinating cards that are an homage to clean-and-simple, as well as some of the gorgeous new Paws-itively Saturated colors released this week: Morning, Twilight, and Galaxy.

My first project uses the gorgeous Adirondack Chair standalone die as the centerpiece. I die cut all of the pieces from plain white cardstock (what’s classier than a white Adirondack chair?) and adhered them all together using liquid adhesive. The detail pieces are just raised enough that they add a hint of dimension without adding a ton of bulk. So well designed!

I lightly blended some Morning ink in the background on a plain white cardstock base to create a very light halo to help my white chair pop from the card front. I also stamped a greeting from Beachy Keen using Galaxy ink. I popped up the die cut chair using foam adhesive to give it some extra height and allow it to be the star of the show!

My last card uses the darling new Kite Builder stencil. I blended Morning, Twilight, and Galaxy inks on a white A2 card front using a blending brush, masking off the parts of the stencil that I was not using using a few Post-It Notes. I also lightly blended some Morning ink around the edges of the card front to create a sky.

For the greeting, I stamped another sentiment from Beachy Keen using Galaxy ink on some white cardstock. I love how vibrant and stark the contrast is between the crisp white cardstock and the deep navy letters. I die cut the sentiment with the coordinating die and popped it up on the card front using foam tape. The final touch was to add a few iridescent blue pearls that could almost be raindrops! Though of course you don’t want to fly a kite in the rain haha!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! So much beachy, summery goodness with this latest Let’s Chill release. And the new ink colors are just smashing! Now for some fun giveaway information:

Each stop on the Let’s Chill blog hop is giving away a $25 gift card to the Simon Says Stamp store! Simply leave a comment on the blog. The more comments you leave across the hop, the more chances you have to win! Winners will be selected from amongst the comments and announced on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday, the 22nd of June. 

Your next stop on the hop is Miriam Prantner. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

New Release-Simon Says Stamp Let’s Chill!

Hi there! It’s release night over at Simon Says Stamp; this month we’re introducing the Let’s Chill collection. It’s full of all of those things that are the embodiment of summer, from butterflies to kites to the beach! They also added some absolutely stunning new colors to the Paws-itively Saturated ink line. I chose to focus on some of the more botanical aspects of summer from this month’s release, so let’s get started with the details.

The new Butterfly Dreams set is absolutely spectacular. It features a variety of beautiful butterflies in various angles and sizes, paired with several poignant sentiments. I wanted to create an ethereal card, with lots of bright white and light colors-almost translucent. I began by heat embossing a couple of butterflies from Butterfly Dreams on some Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper, as well as one of the pansy swags from my Just A Note Pansy set, both with white pearl embossing powder. I used Gansai Tambi watercolors to add some soft color to the images and create a very dreamlike, almost secret garden feel.

For the background, I die cut a Laurel Leaves cover plate die from some white cardstock. I used a blending brush and the new Heather Paws-itively Saturated ink to lightly blend a periwinkle halo around the edges of a white A2 card base. I adhered the Laurel Leaves cover plate die cut on the blended card base using some liquid adhesive. The subtle ink blending behind the detailed cover plate die cut helps to keep things light and airy, but still allows the details in the die cut to be visible!

I cut the watercolored pansy in half so that I could layer it at each corner of the card front. I stamped a greeting from Butterfly Dreams using the new Iris Pawsi-itively Saturated ink, then arranged all of the components on the card front using foam adhesive. I love the combination of the watercolored florals with the white leafy background; it looks like a dreamy garden to me. The beautiful butterflies are the icing on the cake!

My second project for today features the beautiful new Sketched Daisy Bloom Hot Foil Plate as the focal point. As soon as I saw this pretty daisy, I knew that I wanted to pair it with some of the older hot foil plates. I used my Glimmer machine to hot foil the Sketched Daisy Bloom, Dancing Butterflies, and Sketched Anemone foil plates on white cardstock using Moondust foil. I love this iridescent aqua foil! I die cut each of the images using the coordinating dies, which are very conveniently included with the hot foil plates.

I die cut the background using the Ringlet Plate from some white cardstock to create a subtly textured background. I trimmed a couple of strips of coordinating teal cardstock and butted them against a strip of plain white cardstock, which I adhered to the die cut background using liquid adhesive. I used the same cardstock to die cut a few iridescent aqua sprigs to add a bit of extra color to the bouquet.

I arranged all of the elements on my die cut card front using both liquid and foam adhesive, adding a quick and simple sentiment from the new CZ Design Chill Summer sentiment strips. The final touch was to add a few iridescent white pearls for one last element of shine!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! I hope you’ll check out the entire Let’s Chill release-so many wonderful goodies to see! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Simon Says Stamp Yay You Release Blog Hop+Givewaway!

Hi there! I’m so excited to be part of Simon Says Stamp’s Yay You blog hop today, celebrating their newest collection release. You should have arrived here from Bibi Cameron, and your next stop is Miriam Prantner. You can also start back at the beginning at the Simon Says Stamp Blog in case you get lost! I have a trio of wedding-themed projects to share with you today, all with a coordinated feel but each their own unique finished product. Let’s get started with the details!

My first projects feature several of the stunning new hot foil goodies from the Yay You release. I came a little late to the hot foil game, only recently becoming slightly obsessed with the magic that is hot foiling, and these gorgeous new floral hot foil plates are just making me love it even more. I have found that the Pinkfresh Studio Solid Hot Foil Plate is an absolute game changer when it comes to hot foil. It allows you to get twice as much mileage from your hot foiling products, and it creates such an incredibly unique look with the solid foiled pieces.

For this first project, I wanted to create some bold matte gold floral images, so I combined the new Sketched Anemone hot foil plates with the Solid Hot Foil Plate to create some matte gold foil ephemera for my card front. I also created some foliage using the Eucalyptus Stem hot foil plate, as well as a few vellum Sketched Leaf Branches for some textural variety.

I die cut a Domed Arches die from some Lawn Fawn Pencil Eraser cardstock, which I find to be a most unique shade of pink-something that I truly have never seen before amongst my (somewhat copious) collection of colored cardstock! I placed the arch die cut on the Detail Mandala die and ran it through my die cut machine to add some subtle interest to the background. I popped the pierced dome die cut up on an A2 card base made from Pencil Eraser cardstock with some foam tape. I arranged the foiled floral swag on the dome die cut, then added a greeting from the new Happily A Lifetime. Such a gorgeous sentiment set! A few iridescent pearls finished the project off and added one final bit of textural contrast.

My second project features several of the same products used on the first project, as well as an identical color scheme, but this project features a completely different layout. I began this project by hot foiling the beautifully detailed new Intricate Floral hot foil plate onto some more Pencil Eraser cardstock using Aura foil from Spellbinders. This was my first occasion to use the Aura foil, and its iridescent gold shimmer does not disappoint in the slightest! The combination of the iridescent foil impressed into the unique melon pink background makes my heart flutter.

I trimmed the foiled background down slightly and added a strip of glittery gold along the edge, then mounted that on a full size A2 Pencil Eraser card base using foam adhesive. I heat embossed another greeting from Happily A Lifetime onto some more pink cardstock using white embossing powder for maximum contrast, then popped the greeting and some golden foiled eucalyptus die cuts up using a double layer of foam adhesive for tons of height and contrast. A few more iridescent pearls finished the project off.

My last project for today features the gorgeous, gigantic new Happily Ever After die. I thought the romantic font and sheer size of this die would work beautifully with my Celebrate Rose Corner stamps. Roses+weddings go together like peanut butter+jelly, right? I stamped the Celebrate Rose Corner using Contour Ink from Hero Arts, then did some no-line watercoloring on the roses using Holbein watercolors and Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper. Once I’d finished watercoloring, I die cut the large image using the coordinating die.

For the card base, I trimmed down an A7 card front from some more Pencil Eraser cardstock, which coordinated beautifully with the muted mauve-y pinks in the roses. To add a bit of interest to the background, I blended some Magnolia ink using a blending brush, then splattered some handmade shimmery gold watercolor on blended the background. I popped up the watercolored roses using foam adhesive, then added the glittery gold Happily Ever After die cut. I also tucked a couple of Eucalyptus Stem hot foiled vellum die cuts for added textural interest, as well as a few rose gold gems for even more sparkle. The sparkles and size make it super festive for a wedding card, but the soft colors and pretty flowers are so romantic, don’t you think?

Well, that’s all for my projects today! To celebrate their latest release, Simon Says Stamp is generously giving away a $25 coupon to every stop on the hop, selected from the blog comment section. Winners will be chosen and posted on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday, the 18th of May. The more comments you leave along the hop, the more chances you have to win!

Simon Says Stamp is also offering a fun gift with purchase freebie! Simply add code BEAUTY at checkout to receive the Beautiful die set for free!

Your next stop on the hop is Miriam Prantner. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!