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Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

no line watercolor

Pinkfresh Studio November 2022 Stamp and Die Release Blog Hop + Giveaway!

Hi there! Today, Pinkfresh Studio is releasing their latest round of stamps, dies, hot foil plates, and stencils for the November 2022 Release, and let me tell you, it’s yet another stunner! So many gorgeous new products that all work fluidly with each other or can easily stand alone as individual products! I love that these product suites work so interchangeably with each other. It creates such versatility and gives you really great bang for your buck. I have focused on several new products today, particularly the beautiful new Dreamy Florals Stamps and Dies. So many of these new images this month set my watercolor-loving heart a-flutter with excitement, but I think this one was most exciting of all for me. Let’s get started with the details on my project!

I began by stamping the images from Dreamy Florals onto some Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper using Hero Arts Contour Ink. I wanted to do some no-line watercoloring with these beautiful florals, so I pulled out my Holbein watercolor palette and added some soft, springy pinks and lavender, finishing the images off with some lovely intense green. These images are a lovely size, not too small to be super fiddly for watercoloring, but not too large that they take a long time to watercolor. As Goldilocks said, they’re just right! I die cut the images with the coordinating one piece die.

For the background, I wanted to utilize one of the super fun and graphic new hot foil plates and coordinating stencils, but at this point I had already put my hot foiling machine away, so I decided to dry emboss the new Modern Design Blocks Hot Foil Plate using my Spellbinders Platinum 6 with the rubber embossing mat that comes with the new Universal Plate System. This dry embossing creates a beautifully subtle pattern that looks great alone or with the coordinating stencils, as I’ve done here! I used the Modern Design Blocks Layering Stencils to very softly blend Soft Lilac, Ballet Slipper, and Coral Reef inks, pulling in all of the colors of my watercolored images without overpowering them. I also splattered some handmade metallic watercolors over the blended background to add a little extra shine!

For the greeting, I used the new Phrase Builder Happy Hot Foil , which coordinates with the previously-released Phrase Builder Happy Dies. I love the clean, unbelievably shiny look that this adds to the card front! I hot foiled the “happy birthday” on some Hammermill cardstock using Champagne foil from Spellbinders, then cut the foiled words out with the coordinating outline dies. To ground the greeting, I die cut a Braided Oval die from some heavyweight vellum, then arranged all of my floral die cuts and foiled die cut greeting around the edge, allowing some pieces to be tucked behind while others were overlapping the oval. Overlapping on the front allowed me a spot to hide my adhesive foam tape!

Well, that’s all for my project today! Now, to celebrate this release, Pinkfresh is hosting some awesome giveaways!

Pinkfresh Studio will be giving away the full release on the Pinkfresh blog & YouTube channel, so be sure to check those out! They’re linked on the Pinkfresh Blog down below. They will also be giving away a total of TEN $25  gift cards along the hop. The winners will be selected from the comments and announced on November 29, 2022 on our GIVEAWAY PAGE. Winners must check that page & claim your prize within 2 weeks.

The full hop list is below! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

New Class: Altenew Craft Your Life Retreat- Spec-TECH-ular Blossoms!

Hi there! I am just popping in quickly to announce that I am one of the teachers for the October Spec-TECH-ular Blossoms Craft Your Life Retreat! In this retreat, I will be teaching two different classes featuring some fun techniques for creating seamless saturated cards, as well as tips for how to achieve great results when watercoloring your 3D Embossing Folders. You can find the details HERE.

Here’s a quick intro video featuring some sneak peeks of the projects that you will make during the classes:

If you’d like to join me, as well as unbelievably talented instructors Kelly Taylor, Annemarie Caister, and Nenette Madero for a Saturday full of crafty fun, featuring tons of gorgeous new Altenew products, you can sign up HERE. The folks at Altenew are offering an early bird discount until 10/12/22, as well! To save 20% on your kit and classes, simply enter the code CYLEBSPEC20OFF at checkout. Click HERE to check it out!

I will link the supplies that I use outside of the contents of the kit so that you can do some shopping beforehand, as well! (Sadly, the discount code will only work for the class itself.)

I hope to see you in class in a few weeks! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember with Pinkfresh Studio!

Hi there! STAMPtember continues, tonight featuring a collaboration with Pinkfresh Studio! This particular set, called Just Start, is extra exciting for me to work with, because I happened to have illustrated these floral images. This peony-ranunculus-berry cluster was designed to work in the corners of a slimline card, but I have two different cards with two different layouts using the same stamps. Let’s get started with the details!

For my first card, I used both clusters from Just Start in the way that I had originally intended when I illustrated them: tucked up in the corners of a slimline (or mini slimline, in this case) card. I stamped them using Intens-ified Black ink from Hero Arts onto some Copic-friendly white cardstock. I have been entranced with bright tangerine and burnt orange lately, so I did my favorite “fiesta” color combination with bright orange peonies and burnt orange ranunculus, accented by intense magenta berries and deep green foliage. I fussy cut the finished images, but there is a stamp+die bundle available, too!

For the background, I wanted to keep things relatively simple to keep the focus on the flowers, so I die cut a gold glitter frame using the Mini Slimline Scalloped Rectangle die. I backed it with a panel of white cardstock that I had die cut using the Dotted Scallops cover plate die to add some extra texture. I popped this panel and frame up on a white mini slimline card front using foam adhesive.

Next, I added the colored floral images to the corners, trimming off the small areas that spilled over the sides. I adhered them using a double layer of foam tape so that they had extra height and would really pop off the page beautifully. I added a greeting from the beautiful Brushed Sentiments Hot Foil Plate and coordinating dies, which I hot foiled using Matte Gold foil from Spellbinders. I also added a sentiment strip, heat embossed with a greeting from Just Start. The final touch was to add a few shining hot pink gems!

My second card features both of the stamps included in Just Start, as well, but this time I did a little simple masking to create one large floral cluster. I began by stamping the largest image slightly off center of my A2 Fabriano Artistico Hot Press card base using Contour Ink from Hero Arts. Using some Post-It tape, I masked off the bottom of the large flower cluster and stamped the smaller cluster, as well, creating a large floral swag that covered a large portion of the card front.

I taped down the panel to my watercolor board to minimize warping, then watercolored the finished stamped image using Karin Brushmarkers. I kept the colors intense and feminine, working with a couple of different shades of pink, purple, and coral. Karin markers work well with the Fabriano Artistico paper, and I find that I get great results with them when I use plenty of water to help keep the color moving around. If I don’t use enough water, then the color sinks into the paper and creates harsh lines. I also like to work with a ceramic palette; I scribble some color on the palette, then pick it up with my damp paintbrush. When I’m adding really intense shadows, I will put the marker itself to the paper, but very sparingly, as a little of this pigment tends to go a long way. I added lots of layers of color to get tons of depth and intensity to this floral swag.

Once I’d finished my watercoloring, I die cut the Bold Thanks die from Simon Says Stamp three times from Hero Arts’s Eggplant cardstock, adhering all three together using liquid adhesive to create a dimensional die cut. I added this die cut to the card front, then added a few purple gems for the tiniest bit of sparkle.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! The Stamptember collaboration sets frequently sell out quickly, so if you’re at all interested in Just Start, don’t wait too long to purchase! The STAMPtember sets are limited edition, so you won’t see them again once they sell out. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy STAMPtember!

Stamptember Has Arrived + New Illustrations!

Hi there! Have you heard? Stamptember has arrived over at Simon Says Stamp, and it promises to be a month of pure fun with tons of exciting releases all month long. If you’re not familiar with Stamptember, it’s Simon Says Stamp’s birthday month, and they celebrate all month long with huge Simon Says Stamp product releases, as well as super fun, limited-edition collaboration stamp sets from the wonderful companies that we know and love! I am super stinking excited that two of my own illustrations have been used for tonight’s release: Floral Frames and Butterfly Ranunculus! I have two projects using these new sets to share with you today, so let’s get started with the details!

My first project features my new Floral Frames illustration. I have always loved combining thin, delicate frames with bold florals, and these images in this set are perfect for highlighting a poignant greeting, of which there are a ton included in the set! I began by stamping the framed anemone image from Floral Frames onto some Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper using Hero Arts Contour Ink. I then used my Sennelier watercolors to add some lovely plum and jade no-line watercoloring. I used a very thin black pen to add the stamens to the center of the anemone after the watercolor had dried.

For the greeting, I stamped one of the sentiments included in the Floral Frames set, again using Hero Arts Contour Ink. I then used some handmade metallic plum watercolor, a very small brush with a sharp point, and a steady hand to watercolor the sentiment and the frame itself. I love how it looks like I hand painted the greeting myself! The shimmer in the metallic plum watercolor is such a lovely complement to the plummy anemone and pink berries.

For the card base, I ran an A2 panel of Hero Arts Plum cardstock through my die cut machine using the Exotic Vines Embossing Folder from Simon Says Stamp. I lightly brushed the Pinkfresh Studio Regal Kiss inkpad over the raised areas to help add even more interest and texture to the background, then used a blending brush to lightly blend around the edges of the embossed panel. I popped up the watercolored die cut using foam adhesive. I thought that the card needed another shiny, metallic element, so I added a few sprigs cut using the Simon Says Stamp Privet Branch die, cut from some coordinating Purple Rain iridescent foil cardstock. I popped on a few gems for one last touch of shine and texture!

My second card features my other illustration released tonight: Butterfly Ranunculus! I adore the graceful movement of the butterfly ranunculus flower, and they come in tons of different shapes and sizes. I normally gravitate more towards pinks and purples, but I thought that for this project I would venture into the warmer area with some brick red, peach, yellow, and copper. I stamped images from Butterfly Ranunculus onto some Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper using Hero Arts Contour Ink, and again used my Sennelier watercolors to add color to the images, keeping things a bit more muted with some buttery yellow, peach, and brick red watercoloring. I included several different sprigs and foliage options with this set, so it makes building a bouquet super fun!

For the background, I ran an A2 panel of Apricot cardstock through my machine using the Simon Says Stamp Alstroemeria Embossing Folder. I thought that the graceful movement of this background suited the movement of the ranunculus flowers beautifully! I splattered some copper metallic watercolors on the embossed background for a little extra interest.

I arranged the bouquet on my embossed card front, adding a few coppery sprigs of the same Privet Branch die, cut from Altenew Brushed Copper cardstock. I adhered the bouquet using both liquid and foam adhesive for lots of dimension, then added a greeting. I tried to included a few multi-purpose-but-still-heartfelt greetings in the Butterfly Ranunculus set, and this is my favorite one! I embossed it onto some vellum using copper embossing powder, then fussy cut it with some sharp scissors and added it to the card front using some tiny dots of adhesive. A few buttery yellow iridescent gems were the final piece to the puzzle.

Well, that’s all for my projects today! I have a few more projects that I’m saving for later this week, but I hope you’ll check out the entire new release HERE. It’s fabulous and chock full of a ton of different products and styles to suit every person! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and Happy Stamptember!

Hero Arts Winter 2022 Catalog Release Blog Hop + Giveaway!

Hi there! Today, the fabulous folks at Hero Arts are officially releasing their new Holiday 2022 Collection! This collection features the sometimes beautiful, sometimes whimsical, sometimes creepy (think zombies!), always creative images that you have come to associate with Hero Arts! AND! I am super excited that Hero Arts has released their own hot foil plates! These new plates are absolutely fantastic, filled with classic images, some of which you can use year round for non-holiday projects. You should have arrived here from Daniel West, and your next stop is Ilina Crouse. I have two watercolored projects to share with you today using some of the new goodies, so let’s get started with the details!

My first project features the stunning new Finch Greetings stamp and die bundle. I stamped the image on some Arches cold press watercolor paper using Contour Ink, then watercolored the images using the Hero Arts Daniel Smith watercolor palette. I die cut the images with the coordinating dies included in the bundle.

For a subtle background for my winter birds, I used the oldie-but-goodie Greenery Fancy Die, cut from the center of a white A2 card base. I popped it up with foam tape on a solid white A2 card base to add some subtle texture and interest to the background while still keeping a relatively “nature-esque” theme. I love how the foam tape adds so much extra oomph to the background-even the white-on-white! Easily one of my most favorite techniques.

I popped up the birds with some more foam tape, creating a double layer of foam tape in spots for tons of height. For the greeting, I used one of the beautiful scripty greetings included in the Finch Greetings stamp set, which I heat embossed in gold on some of Hero Arts’s Heavyweight Vellum cardstock. I tucked it behind the watercolored bird die cuts, sneaking dots of adhesive in the areas that would be covered by the solid watercolored die cuts.

I have some more watercoloring for my second card, featuring one of the gorgeous, brand-spanking-new hot foil plates: Ornament Border Hot Foil Plate! I first hot foiled the image (I love how detailed and enormous this image is!) onto some hot press watercolor paper using gold foil. The smooth surface of the hot press watercolor paper makes it perfect canvas for the hot foil!

I taped down the hot foiled image to my watercolor board to try to minimize the warping, then added lots of vivid color in muted shades of teal and green, with a few tiny pops of deep berry red for the berries! The hot foil behaves similarly to embossed images, creating a kind of resist technique. So fun to use with so many mediums!

Once I had finished the watercoloring and allowed the image to dry completely overnight (allowing it to dry naturally while taped down rather than forcing it to dry with a heat tool also minimizes warping!), I added a greeting created using the new Christmas Words Fancy Dies. I die cut the top layer from some Holiday Sparkle Glitter Paper, then cut two more layers from plain white cardstock. I adhered all three layers together to create dimensional die cut greetings. Very simple, but very effective, and so sturdy- they would hold up great in the mail!

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

Hero Arts will give away *THREE* $50 gift cards, drawn from the comments left across the hop. Enter by Wednesday, August 31st at 11:59pm Pacific, and the winner will be announced on the Hero Arts blog the following week.

Your next stop is Ilina Crouse. You can also start at the beginning at the Hero Arts Blog. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!