Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

gift bag

More Inspiration using the Simon Says Stamp Warmth and Wonder Limited Edition Holiday Kit!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! I am back today with some more inspiration using the new, limited edition Simon Says Stamp Warmth and Wonder Holiday Card Kit! (Click HERE to see the whole kit!) This limited edition kit was one of the last fun surprises for the month-long STAMPtember celebration, and it is available for preorder right now with the intent to ship later in October. The kit comes absolutely jam-packed full of goodies to make your holiday cardmaking a breeze: two stamp sets, a fancy standalone die, embossing folder + die set, stencil set, ink cubes, patterned papers and coordinating ephemera, cardstock, envelopes… everything you need to create tons of marvelous coordinating-but-not-matching holiday cards! Some people love to mass produce, but some others, like myself, get a bit bored with creating the same card over and over again. To keep things simple but still creatively interesting, each of the elements of this card kit work beautifully in concert or individually, making your creative process a breeze! I created no less than six different projects using this card kit and barely made a dent in the goodies; when you add in dies, inks, and cardstock from your own stash, it stretches even further! For yesterday’s projects, I focused mainly on the marvelous patterned papers included in the kit. (Click HERE to see that post.) Let’s get started on the details for my projects today, which focus on the amazing stamps and other non-consumable items in the kit.

*I have gathered links to all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience, using affiliate links. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

Using the colors of some of the patterned paper as my inspiration point, I selected Pawsitively Saturated Inks in shades of Brick, Apple, Artichoke, Pine, Eucalyptus, and Mocha, which create a rich, vibrant holiday color palette!

I used some plaid patterned paper and ephemera bits to create this fun little gift bag, die cutting the Gift Bag die from Midnight Green cardstock and adding the ephemera bits with foam adhesive.

I also created this coordinating festive, detailed card using both of the stamp sets included in the Warmth and Wonder kit, using the coordinating dies to cut out the stamped images. I love how the simplicity of the solid stamped images from the Warmth and Wonder stamp set work so beautifully with the layered foliage branch from the Sparkle Season stamp set!

I ran a panel of Dark Chocolate cardstock through my die cutting machine with the new Winter Season embossing folder, then swiped the Simon Says Stamp White Pigment Ink Pad directly over the raised areas to enhance the imagery quickly and simply. I then trimmed a strip of red foil cardstock to be 4.75″ long, notching the ends with my sharp scissors to create a flag, and arranged the stamped die cuts around the red foil flag strip, popping everything up with lots of foam adhesive. The final touch was to add a few sparkling Cherry Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for some holiday shine!

Finally, I created this simple and elegant tag using the layered sleigh image from the Warmth and Wonder stamp set along with some foliage and that gorgeous stamped bow. I stamped the sleigh using Apple and Mocha ink, the foliage using Pine ink, and the bow using Apple and Brick inks. I die cut two Large Standard Tags from Chocolate cardstock, adhering the scratched sides together so that the outward sides were both clean, then adhered the sleigh and foliage die cuts to the front. I added a red seam binding loop to the tag for a simple and elegant gift adornment!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! You can’t go wrong with this kit; the value is over $100, but Simon Says Stamp has priced these fabulous kits at only $69.99. As always with Simon Says Stamp kits: you can purchase individual items outside of the kits when it sells out or if you would like duplicates (like that fabulous ephemera and patterned paper!). Don’t wait to purchase this kit at an incredible value! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

You’re So Sharp Teacher Gift Set with Simon Says Stamp!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! I have been experimenting with lots of different mediums and supplies lately, and I decided to pair one of the zippered canvas bags that I have in my stash with some simple acrylic marker painting to create a fun teacher gift set. My older son’s primary teacher is a man for the first time since he began school, and so coming up with a teacher gift for Christmas was a little more challenging for this super girly mom than it has typically been. With that in mind, I kept this gift set simple in both color palette and design, pairing the Just Write stamp set with the Altenew Acrylic Markers to create a chunky and graphic gift set that is definitely gender-neutral. Let’s get started with the details on my projects!

*I have gathered links to all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience, using affiliate links. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

One of the great things about the Just Write stamp set is it’s simplicity. The large, simply drawn images lend themselves very well to use with simpler coloring techniques, making them a great companion to the Just Write stamp set. I used the single pencil image for the gift bag and the multi-pencil background stamp for the gift card holder. How fun would this be with some nice mechanical pencils and pens along with a coffee shop gift card?

For the bag, I stamped the large pencil image from Just Write onto the zippered canvas bag using Nocturne Ink from Simon Says Stamp. This black pigment ink creates a super crisp image on the canvas bag. Such a great multi-purpose ink! After I had stamped the pencil image and the coordinating sentiment, I used Altenew Acrylic Paint Markers to do some simple coloring, adding a few details with Silver Spectrum Noir Markers and a black pigment pen to sharpen up some of the areas. Note: I did find that the acrylic paint bled colors into each other if I tried to color two adjacent areas too quickly, so be sure to treat this just like regular no-line watercolor if you try this technique for yourself! I also added a few dots with the black pigment pen to add some interest to the background, but I think dots are a gender-neutral addition.

For the gift card, I began by die cutting the Gift Card Pocket Envelope Die from some So Very Black cardstock, then stamped the background stamp from the Just Write Stamps onto just the center section using white pigment ink, then used the same colors from the Altenew Acrylic Paint Marker palette to do some chunky, graphic coloring on the images. After I had finished coloring all of the pencils, I stamped the simple “thank you” using Nocturne ink, which stamped perfectly atop the acrylic-painted pencil, though it did require a bit of dry time to ensure that it didn’t smudge.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! I love being able to use stamps from my stash to customize gifts for teachers. It definitely helps to justify the purchases when you get so much bang for your buck! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Fun with Felt-Gift Bag and Tag!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! I am starting a new series here on my blog: Fun with Felt! Once a month, I am planning to share projects created using all of the gorgeous felt that I’ve acquired over the last few months. I have been practicing embroidery after long contemplation (the struggle is real on picking up new hobbies, friends. I seem to enjoy the supply-purchasing portion of the new hobby, but not actually implementing them!), and now my goal is to incorporate these new techniques and supplies into my stamping! I started out my crafting journey a long time ago as a general non-discriminatory crafter, creating everything from jewelry to home decor, then eventually found my way into cards, but after 11~ years of focusing on cardmaking, I am starting to get, well, bored. So to keep things interesting and fun, I am going to try new ways to integrate all of my hobbies and interests and hope that you won’t mind my sharing them here!

For Christmas, I received a large set of acrylic paint markers, and I’ve been itching to try them out. I have also been collecting small fabric items that I could customize with my stamping and felt supplies, including this canvas bag that I found while shopping, perfect for filling with treats or gifts. To customize the bag, I pulled some stamps and dies from my Simon Says Stamp bins that would work to create this little gift set, so let’s get started with the details!

*I have gathered links to all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience, using affiliate links. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

I love to take solid stamped images and customize them, typically using white pigment ink or no-line coloring ink to stamp them, then using either watercolors or colored pencils to add lots of details and definition to these solid images. The Talvera Vine cling stamp is a lovely neutral pattern, excellent for use as a backdrop for detailed floral images or as a focal point, as I’ve done here.

To create the pretty pattern on the canvas bag, I stamped the Talvera Vine cling stamp onto the inexpensive canvas bag, keeping everything in place with my MISTI. As you can see in the photo, perfect stamping was not necessary for this project and not very attainable due to the texture on the canvas bag; the end goal was to make sure that there was more of a “guide” for my paint markers to create the pattern! The magnets on the MISTI were very helpful in holding the bag in place and to ensure that my pattern was straight.

After stamping the image on the bag, I used a single deep green acrylic paint marker (the Altenew Acrylic Paint Markers are excellent and I have hopes that they will release more colors to the collection soon!) to color over the stamped images. This deep green had excellent coverage over the Charcoal Pawsitively Saturated Ink image. After I had colored all of the leaves and outlined the vines themselves, I added a few swipes of a champagne paint marker to create the vines on the leaves, adding a touch more definition and shape to the images. I also dotted some berries on the bare spots, creating a pretty, simple patterned bag that is neutral enough to work with lots of different floral additions!

I’ve really been enjoying creating projects that have a bit more “longevity” to them than typical cards; I have fears that the cards on which I work for hours will simply get tossed in the trash without a care as to how meticulously they were crafted, so I have been enjoying adding felt to my repertoire of mediums over the last few months. I created this decorative “tag” to add to my painted gift bag that can be repurposed as a tag on a backpack, purse, or even as a bookmark if one left off the gems! Because the Talvera Vine stamp is such a neutral botanical background, I thought it would look lovely with some vibrant flowers. I die cut the Large Rounded Tag die from some ivory felt, then created a few mauve and maroon blooms using the Aurora Blooms dies. I arranged the blooms and some foliage on the felt tag die cut, adhering everything with felt glue, then added some champagne glitter felt centers and Lilac Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my projects today. I am so enjoying stepping outside of my papercrafting zone and creating projects that are a bit more long-lasting. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Eggplant Sparkle Gift Set with Simon Says Stamp DieCember!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! I have some sparkling holiday inspiration to share with you today using some newer goodies from the Simon Says Stamp DieCember release. I adore die cutting, putting saturated colored cardstock color palettes together with lots of sparkles and foam tape for tons of dimension on each layer. I was so happy to see the new cardstock colors in the DieCember release, with incredibly vibrant hues that also die cut splendidly. I used the new Whirl Nordic Plate detailed cover plate die to create this intense and dramatic, sparkling, monochromatic eggplant gift set. Let’s get started with the details!


*I have gathered links to all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience, using affiliate links. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

There are very few color palettes I love more than a dramatic and bold monochromatic color scheme. I have said before: putting together monchromatic cards is like putting pieces of a puzzle together; you have to search your stash to see which elements in the same color family can be layered together to create a unique and visually interesting project. I paired the new Eggplant cardstock with the previously-released Eggplant Glitter Cardstock to create this super saturated card and gift bag set!

For my first project, I used the Whirl Nordic Plate to adorn the most perfect little gift bag! I die cut the Gift Bag Die from the new Simon Says Stamp Eggplant Glitter cardstock, then measured a panel of Eggplant Glitter Cardstock to fit the front panel perfectly. I ran the smaller glitter panel through my die cutting machine using the new Whirl Nordic Plate and added it to the front of my assembled gift bag, creating a gorgeous tone-on-tone glittery gift bag!

After I had finished adorning the gift bag with the glittering patterned die cut, I added a Perfect Bow die cut from the same Eggplant cardstock to make it extra festive! I put some pretty rose gold tissue paper inside the bag, then decided to accent the pattern even further with some coordinating Lilac Pawsitively Dazzling Gems. (Those Lilac gems are really a chameleon; they can work with so many different color palettes!) Isn’t this such a perfect gift bag for smaller gifts, like cosmetics, jewelry, hand sanitizer/lotion, and gift cards?

For my second project, I used the same Whirl Nordic Plate die to create a beautifully sparkling background for my holiday card! I die cut the image from the SSS Eggplant Glitter cardstock and adhered it to an A2 panel of SSS Eggplant cardstock using liquid adhesive. I also used the same Eggplant cardstock to die cut the flowers from the new Woodland Floral Frame Embossing Folder +die set. I die cut the flower images first, then lined them up in the appropriate spot on the embossing folder and ran it through my die cutting machine to create exquisite dimension and detail! I used some super sparkly handmade glitter watercolors to add some glittery dimension to the edges of the petals and the center of the flowers.

To create a holiday bouquet, I used the same Eggplant cardstock to die cut the holly sprig from the Two Stems and Berries die set, cutting the berries themselves from some pearlescent white cardstock. For the greeting, I stamped the bold “Merry Everything” sentiment from the Good Cheer stamp set onto some more Eggplant cardstock using Simon Says Stamp White Pigment ink and added Hero Arts Iridescent Purple embossing powder over the top to create a gorgeous iridescent shimmer for my sentiment. I die cut the sentiment using the coordinating die, then began arranging my die cuts on top of the glittery background. I adhered the sentiment with foam adhesive, then arranged the glittery embossed floral die cuts in the corner, tucking the leaves and berries behind them. Finally, I added a few Opal Pawsitively Dazzling Gems for even more sparkle, as well as to complete the “rule of three” for my shimmering white accents!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! It doesn’t seem possible that Christmas is this week, much less that 2025 is just around the corner. Some days, I feel like I’m still processing 2020! Unreal! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

More Colorblock Christmas with Simon Says Stamp!

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! I have some more holiday inspiration to share with you today using goodies from the Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember release. I am a huge fan of non-traditional color combinations for Christmas, color palettes that are just a few ticks off of a traditional color palette. For today’s card and gift bag set, I selected a unique coral, cranberry, plum, and navy color palette, counting on the cranberry red, sparkles, and the snowflake images to convey the holiday theme. Let’s get started with the details!

*I have linked all of the products used at the bottom of the post for your convenience using affiliate links. Thank you for shopping with my links! I truly appreciate your support for my work!*

The colorblocked imagery began with the new Snowflake Stripes Stencil from the STAMPtember product release. I have been loving the clean look of color blocking lately; you can see some more inspiration using this technique HERE. For today’s card, I selected several inks from the Pawsitively Saturated Ink line: Punch, Cabernet, Aster, and Night. I used blending brushes to blend them on the new Snowflake Stripes Stencil set on a panel of white cardstock. These ink colors work so nicely together, blending in a gradient from coral to navy beautifully!

After I had finished stenciling the color blocked snowflake, I trimmed the A2 panel down and created a shaker pocket with some leftover stamp packaging, filling it with some Candy Hearts sequins to create a flat shaker card. I nestled the shaker panel in the upper left hand corner of an A2 panel of Altenew’s Sapphire cardstock, allowing the deep blue to peek out from the bottom right hand corner.

For the greeting, I die cut the new Simple Peace die from some more deep blue cardstock, backing the detail layer with a vellum shadow layer. I also white embossed a coordinating sentiment from Simple Holiday Greetings onto some more deep blue cardstock. To embellish my shaker front, I added some pearlescent white snowflakes cut using the Snow Flurries die set as well as a glittery red frame cut using the A2 Thin Frames and Crimson glitter cardstock, all from Simon Says Stamp. I popped up the sentiment pieces with dimensional clear adhesive, then added the snowflakes in a swag down the front of the card.

I created a coordinating gift bag using the ever-versatile Gift Bag Die. This die is quickly becoming a favorite of mine; it’s the perfect size for all sorts of goodies like lip gloss, candy, gift cards, and so much more! I created the bag itself by die cutting the bag twice from more of the Sapphire cardstock and adhering it with super strong double sided tape. I continued the color blocked theme and embellished the front of the bag with strips of coordinating colored cardstock, one of which was embossed using the Kaleidescope Embossing Folder. I cut the strips down and adhered them to the front of the bag with strong double sided tape, embellishing the front of the bag with more snowflakes from the Snow Flurries die set and a greeting from the new Big Holiday Words sentiment set. A velvet bow and some tissue paper finished this gift bag off, ready to be filled with treats and gifted to a friend!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! Tomorrow is October 1, and I am thrilled to be able to share as much Christmas and holiday inspiration as my little heart desires. So many wonderful things are coming, friends! I am excited to share them with you. Thanks so much for stopping by, and have a marvelous day!