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Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

altenew watercolor markers

Altenew Paint A Flower: Carnation Blog Hop+Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m super excited to be a stop on this month’s Altenew Paint A Flower Blog Hop! You should have arrived here from Erum Tasneem, and your next stop is Jenny Colacicco. This month’s flower is a bloom that has a bad rep for being a “filler flower,” but they can be so pretty when they’re all pink and fluffy and in a big bunch! Introducing: Paint A Flower: Carnations!

You can purchase this fabulous set here individually for $15.99, or you can subscribe to receive the new Paint A Flower sets at a discount each month! This is a monthly subscription plan for our Paint-A-Flower set. When signed up, you are guaranteed a spot in our monthly PAF releases and will receive a set each month – at a specially discounted price! ($15.99 →$12.99)

I’ve created two projects for today’s hop, so let’s get started with the details!

I kept things bright and fun with a magenta and violet color scheme. For my first card, I used the super detailed outline stamps from PAF Carnations to create some pretty, almost toile custom patterned paper. I stamped the blooms using Midnight Violet ink (my absolute favorite color from the Altenew ink line) on some pale pink cardstock, then used a blending tool to blend some more Midnight Violet around the edges of the card front.

Next, I die cut a vellum oval and some metallic violet sprigs using the Create A Wreath die set. I silver heat embossed a greeting from PAF Carnations onto some white cardstock, then blended some more Midnight Violet to create some shocking violet cardstock strips. I adhered the sentiment strips and die cut sprigs to the vellum oval with liquid adhesive, then hid the foam adhesive on the back of the vellum oval behind the sentiment strips. Lots of dimension and textures on this project!

For my second card, I used the PAF Carnations set in the more traditional way by pairing it with the Spring Garden Liquid Watercolor Brush Pens. I began by heat embossing the blooms in silver on some of Altenew’s Watercolor Paper. I then used the Spring Garden Watercolor Brush markers to color the images in vibrant shades of pink, violet, and emerald.

After I’d finished watercoloring, I trimmed the panel down slightly and matted it on an A2 panel of metallic violet cardstock. I added a silver heat embossed sentiment from PAF Carnations on a strip of white cardstock, popping it up with some foam adhesive for extra dimension.

The final step was to add some gems for sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my project today. Now, Altenew has some fun giveaways to celebrate their latest Paint A Flower release!

To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $20 gift certificate to 3 lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog by 9/27/2020 for a chance to win. We’ll also draw a winner to receive a $15 gift certificate from the comments left on each designer’s blog on the blog hop list below. All winners will be announced on the Altenew Winners Page on 09/30/2020.

Promotion details: Get 20% off on the Soothe and Smooth Watercolor Paper Bundle from 9/22/2020 at 12:01 AM EDT until 9/23/2020 at 11:59 PM EDT. Not valid on previous purchases. Not valid on previous purchases. Shop HERE

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Your next stop is Jenny Colacicco. You can also head back to the Altenew Blog to get the full hop list. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

Altenew October 2019 Stamp+Die Release Blog Hop+Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m super excited to be taking part in Altenew’s October 2019 Stamp and Die Release Blog Hop! Altenew always has incredible stamp and die releases, and this month features some absolutely stunning new florals, as well as some beautiful holiday stamps. You should have arrived here from Jen Schow‘s blog, and your next stop is Svitlana Shayevich‘s blog. You can also start back at the beginning in case you get lost! I have three projects for you today featuring the new goodies, so let’s get started with the details!

For my first project, I used the gorgeous new Precious Peony stamps and dies. I began by stamping the main floral image onto some Copic-friendly white cardstock using black ink, then used my Copic markers in pretty shades of peach to color the image. I die cut the image with the coordinating dies.

On the white A2 card base, I stamped the main floral image a few times in the upper left hand corner using Coral Bliss ink, then using a blending brush, blended some Coral Bliss and Coral Berry inks over the top of the stamped images, creating a subtle tone-on-tone pattern. I adhered the Copic-colored die cut to the card front using foam adhesive, adding a sentiment (also from Precious Peony) and some jewels for sparkle!

For my second card, I used the beautiful new Winter Wishes stamp set to create this serene holiday card. I began by stamping the main image from Winter Wishes onto some watercolor cardstock using Obsidian Black ink, then adding clear embossing powder over the top and heating it. I used my Daniel Smith watercolors to add some loose watercoloring to the image in serene tones of blue and green.

After I’d finished watercoloring the panel, I used the oval die in the Create A Wreath die set to cut a window from a panel of creamy white A2 cardstock. I stamped a greeting from Winter Wishes on the bottom, again with Obsidian ink and clear embossing powder, then adhered the window panel over the top of the watercolored scene using foam adhesive.

For my final project, I wanted to do some no-line watercolor using the absolutely gorgeous new Grateful Heart set! This set features both the outline and layering stamps, so that you have endless crafty possibilities! The lines on these new florals are utterly graceful; they were an absolute pleasure to color. I began by stamping a little bouquet on a long rectangular panel of watercolor cardstock with Ink On 3 Fadeout Ink, using the mask stencils from the Grateful Heart bundle to create a seamless bouquet of flowers and foliage.

Next, I used the stunningly vibrant and beautiful colors in the Spring Garden Watercolor Brush pens to do some no-line watercoloring, adding lots of layers for extra dimension. After I’d completed the watercoloring, I trimmed the watercolor panel down slightly and mounted it on a mat of deep fuchsia cardstock. I also heat embossed a greeting from Grateful Heart using white embossing powder on some strips of the same deep fuchsia cardstock, which I mounted on the card front using foam adhesive. The final touch was to add some bright turquoise jewels to add a touch of sparkle and texture!

Well, that’s all for my projects today. Now, there are several ways to win today, so pay close attention:

To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 6 lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or Altenew Scrapbook Blog by 10/16/2019 for a chance to win.

We’ll also draw a winner to receive a $20 gift certificate from the comments left on each designer’s blog on the blog hop list below. All winners will be announced on the Altenew blogs on 10/20/2019. The more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win!

Here’s the full hop list in case you get lost:

Altenew Card Blog
Jennifer McGuire
Nathalie DeSousa
Kelly Griglione
Nicole Picadura
Mindy Eggen
Jaycee Gaspar
Lilith Eeckels
Ashlea Cornell
Jen Schow
Emily Midgett
Svitlana Shayevich
Kathleen Graumüller
Therese Calvird
Altenew Scrapbook Blog
Vicky Papaioannou
Norine Borys
Terri Koszler
Maryam Perez
LauraJane
Virginia Lu
Kymona Tracey
Jessica Frost-Ballas
Sveta Fotinia
Amber Rain Davis
Laurie Willison
Caly Person
Reiko Tsuchida
Keeway Tsao
Zinia Redo
Kelly Janes
Erum Tasneem

Altenew September Stamp and Die Release Blog Hop+Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m super excited to be taking part in Altenew’s September Stamp and Die Release Blog Hop! This month, we have a huge variety of stamps and dies to share with you for the September release, including some floral, some holiday, and some autumn… a little something for everyone! You should have arrived here from Christine Pennington‘s blog, and your next stop is Erum Tasneem‘s blog. I have four projects to share with you today, as well as some giveaway information, so be sure to read all the way to the end!

For my first project today, I wanted to use the fabulous new Candy Cane Stripe Cover Die. I love cover plate dies; they create such a huge impact with just a swift pass in your die cutting machine. I took it one step further and added an inlaid, die cut oval frame in the center of the cover plate die cut.

To create the inlaid die cut frame, I first die cut a panel of deep red card stock using the Candy Cane Stripe Cover Die. I then used the oval frame from the Create A Wreath die set to die cut the center from the striped red die cut. I also die cut another red oval frame die from a solid panel of cardstock. I adhered the striped die cut piece to a panel of white cardstock using liquid adhesive, then inlaid the oval die cut frame in the center.

I used the beautiful Holiday Bow stamps and dies with a variety of red and green inks to create a pretty holiday swag, which I layered above a sentiment from the new Modern Poinsettia stamp set. A few jewels finished it off!

For my second project, I used the new Happy Pomegranates stamps and dies to create a Thanksgiving card! I began by gold embossing several of the images on some watercolor cardstock, then used the Winter Wonderland Watercolor Brush markers to add lots of layers of deep, saturated color to the images.

For the card base, I used the Buffalo Plaid Builder stencil to add a bit of subtle, tone-on-tone texture to a brick red card base. I layered the watercolored die cuts on the stenciled card base using foam tape, then added a greeting, heat embossed on the same shade of brick red card stock, as well as a few gold glitter gems.

My next project uses some non-traditional holiday colors, but who says that Christmas cards can only come in reds and greens? I did some no-line coloring on the new Modern Poinsettia stamp with my Copic markers in shades of deep, deep fuchsia , accenting the bright pop of pink with some silver foil and navy glitter foliage cut from the Create A Wreath die set.

I layered the large flower and foliage images on a white Circle Quilt Cover Die cut that I had adhered to a white A2 card base. Using white cover plate die cuts over a white card base is one of my most favorite ways to add subtle texture and dimension to a background without overwhelming the main focal point. For the greeting, I used the new Tall Alpha die set and the older Holiday Script Words die set. A few sparkling gems finished it off!

For my final project, I used the new Flower Garden stamp set to create a pretty watercolored floral bouquet. I began by embossing several flowers and foliage using silver pearl embossing powder onto some watercolor cardstock. I then used my Daniel Smith watercolors to add some pretty cool pinks, blues, and aquas to the flowers.

After I’d finished watercoloring all of the flowers and foliage, I blended some Azurite ink around the edge of a panel of pale blue cardstock. I then spritzed some water into my hand and dribbled drops of water on the blended panel, tapping the water droplets with a paper towel to lift some of the color up. I arranged the flowers in a pretty bouquet and adhered them to the blended panel using foam adhesive. I added a sentiment from Sentiment Strips stamped in more Azurite ink. A few gems added a touch of sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! Now, for some fun giveaway information!

To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 6 lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or Altenew Scrapbook Blog by 9/10/2019 for a chance to win.

We’ll also draw a winner to receive a $20 gift certificate from the comments left on each designer’s blog on the blog hop list below. All winners will be announced on the Altenew blogs on 9/13/2019.

Also, Altenew is having a fun promotion: Limited Time Offer! Get a FREE mini inspiration guide with every order from the September 2019 Stamp/Die Release collection! Free gift will be added to cart automatically. One gift per order. While supplies last! Shop the latest release here.

Your next stop on the hop is Erum Tasneem‘s blog. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

Power Poppy arrives at Ellen Hutson!

Hi there! I have a super fun, colorful post for you to start your week… the Ellen Hutson Design Ambassadors are hopping with the Power Poppy ladies! You should have arrived here from Kathy Jones’s blog. I am so excited to see Power Poppy at Ellen Hutson. I had the pleasure of meeting Marcy, the owner and ridiculously talented artist behind the Power Poppy designs, at a Daily Marker Road Trip event a few years ago, and so I was extra thrilled when I found out that Ellen would be carrying her gorgeous stamps and dies! Power Poppy designs are inspired by nature, and if you follow @powerpoppy on Instagram, you’ll soon see where Marcella Hawley (artiste extraordinaire) gets lots of her inspiration… from her own stunning garden!

As someone who can kill even the heartiest of green things, I am so happy to be able to cultivate my own “garden” in stamp form using Marcy’s gorgeous stamps. I have two projects to share with you today, one with brand spanking new Power Poppy products, one with some older-but-still-stunning products from Power Poppy, so let’s get started with the details!

My first project uses the new Big Sexy Blooms stamp set, and I have to say… I am absolutely in love with this gorgeous stamp set. Don’t you think that daisies are the friendliest flowers? (If you didn’t hear that in Meg Ryan’s head cold voice from You’ve Got Mail, then you clearly need to go watch that movie ASAP.) I love color (obviously), and so it was imperative to saturate these happy, gigantic blooms with bright and bold color. I began by stamping the Big Sexy Blooms on some hot press watercolor cardstock (nice and smooth) using Versafine Black Onyx ink, then adding some White Satin Pearl embossing powder over the top to create a pretty metallic charcoal. Love this combo… it’s dramatic and elegant at the same time.

After I’d embossed my background, I used the Altenew Watercolor Brush Markers (Tropical and Winter Wonderland) to add some vibrant watercoloring to these huge blooms. I kept the color scheme fairly minimal, keeping to the pink/purple end of the spectrum, accenting with black and gray. The key to getting these super vibrant and saturated colors is layers. I used at least 3 or 4 layers of color on each bloom to ensure vivid color. After I’d watercolored the blooms themselves, I used the black watercolor brush marker to fill in the small areas in the background to ensure that those blooms really popped.

After the watercoloring was complete, I heat embossed one of the sentiments from Strong and Beautiful on some black card stock using white embossing powder, then cut each individual line using my trimmer so that I could stack them. I adhered the sentiment strips using foam adhesive for added dimension.

For my second project today, I wanted to showcase one of Power Poppy’s absolutely stunning older sets. I adore any and all peony stamps (a girl can never have too many peony stamps, in my opinion), and the Abundant Petals stamp set has not only a giant, gorgeous peony, but it also contains a wide variety of other flowers and foliage so that you can build bouquets to your heart’s content! In keeping with my bold and saturated colors from the previous project, I thought I’d do a vibrant fiesta color scheme in shocking pink and bright tangerine.

I began by stamping the blooms from Abundant Petals on some white Copic-friendly card stock, and I wanted something a little different than just plain black, so I used some Smokey Grey Versafine ink. I then used my Copic markers to color these vibrant blooms and die cut them with their coordinating dies.

I arranged all of the blooms in a pretty bouquet on my white A2 card front, then adhered them with dimensional adhesive, finally adding a sentiment from Strong and Beautiful white embossed on a Slate Gray card stock strip. Some Watermelon jewels finished it off with a touch of sparkle!

Now for some fun giveaway information:

We’ve got fun prizes!!! We are giving away $25 to the Ellen Hutson shop and $25 to the Power Poppy shop! To enter for a chance to win, make sure to leave comments at each stop along the hop! Two random & lucky commenters will win! Comment before Sunday, July 7th at 11:59pm PST. Winners will be notified by email.

Your next stop on the hop is Stacey Morgan. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous week!